: Four months after her national record-breaking 1500m run at the Warangal National Open, Harmilan Bains suffered a knee injury in early January.
She skipped the varsities Nationals, the two Indian Grand Prix legs in Thiruvananthapuram and the ongoing Federation Cup.
Bains is yet to open her competition season but she figures in the list of 12 middle and long distance runners who have been selected for a Government-funded, two-month training-cum-competition trip to Colorado Springs, USA, from April 15.
“I wish I could join (but) right now I can’t even jog. I still have pain…it’s a very hard and frustrating situation,” Bains told The Hindu from the Pune Army Sports Institute where she is currently doing her rehab.
While the 23-year-old is unable to travel, Priya Mohan, who figures in the list of another 31 quartermilers and relay runners cleared to fly to Antalya, Turkey, for a two-month training-competition camp, has opted out.
“We have different plans,” said her coach Arjun Ajay who has made the 19-year-old the second fastest Asian quartermiler this year (52.37s). Incidentally, Mohan is not a national camper.
Jisna Mathew, the 2017 Asian 400m silver medallist who helped India to the seventh place at the 2019 Worlds 4x400m mixed relay, will also not travel to Turkey though her and her coach P.T. Usha’s names are on the list.
“Jisna will only go for competitions but not to Turkey,” said Usha.
Regarding her name on the list, Usha said, “I don’t know about it, they have not told me.”
Also in the list is Anjali Devi, who last ran a quartermile in October 2019, and varsities National 400m silver medallist Rupal who has not competed in any AFI National meet this year.
However, Aishwarya Mishra who produced an Asia-leading time (51.18s) for the Federation Cup 400m gold on Sunday does not figure in the list.
So, who are the athletes who will be travelling?
“We will decide after the Federation Cup,” said National chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair.