India could be the next athletics super power says IAAF President Sebastian Coe

Coe is visiting India for the first time after being elected as IAAF President

International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) President Sebastian Coe admitted that India should be inspired by countries like Kenya and Jamaica, to progress in athletics in the future.

Coe is in India for a two day official visit currently. According to the newly elected IAAF President, India should be ambitious if they want to achieve success. There is no reason why India can not become a super power in athletics in the future.

“One of the most important ingredient is strong presence and quality of track and field in schools. In Jamaica and Kenya, there is a vibrant presence of track and field in schools. India can do the same," he said.

MoUs with education ministers of countries to include track and field programs in schools will be signed by him to encourage more athletics in a country such as India. “One of the things I want to do as IAAF president is to sign MoUs with education ministers of countries to include track and field programmes in schools," said the IAAF President.

Coe was an athlete himself. He won 1,500m gold at 1980 Moscow Olympics and the 1984 Los Angeles Games before turning to politics as a member of parliament for the Conservative Party from 1992 to 1997. In 2007, he was elected as the vice-president of IAAF for his first term. The served his second term as the vice – president from 2011. In 2015 he became the President of the world athletics body.

Tracing his roots back to India, he summed up his India visit as an emotional trip. His maternal grandfather and mother were both from India.

The Athletics world body’s president did not find any particular reason why India has not won a medal in the last Olympics in Beijing. Coe also added, that India has a lot of potential but Indian athletes have to have the confidence in themselves to achieve success in a stage as big as the Olympics.

Coe said that corporate sponsorships can be a key to raise the profile of athletics in the country.

"The prospect of Indian Athletics League seems interesting if they are able to attract sponsors. Some of the world's biggest MNCs are in India and they have to be engaged with. You have to have sponsorships, have regional championships and work to bring big events. You need to strengthen the competition structure," he said.

Coe is expected to have detailed discussions with the AFI President Adille Sumariwalla on how to take Indian athletics forward.