Manjit Singh targets gold in Asian Championship

BENGALURU: After the euphoria of winning the Asian Games gold, upsetting favourite Jinson Johnson in the men's 800m, Manjit Singh is back to the grind at the SAI South Centre here. Recapping the memorable race in Jakarta, which saw him come up with a superb kick, the Haryana athlete said it was a dream gold.
"It was my dream not just to represent my country but also to win a gold medal.I was so happy to win the race and to stand on top of the podium. I recalled all my hard work and the effort (of my team) as I listened to the national anthem. In a way, I fulfilled my dream (in Jakarta)," Manjit said at a promotional event here on Saturday.
The champion, who came back from the brink to climb the Jakarta podium, said he aimed to repeat the feat at the Asian Championship in Doha next year. "My next target is next year's Asian Championships and World Championships (to be held in Doha). But the main target will remain the 2020 Tokyo Olympics," said Manjit who is training with coach Amrish Kumar at SAI.
"We are back in training for almost a month now after a refreshing break. I am working hard with a medal in mind at the Asian meet. It will also help me qualify for my first World Championships," he added.
The 29-year-old distance runner, who credited the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and the Union sports ministry for India's improved performance at the Asiad, said the two-lap race remains his main event. "My favourite event is 800m which I have been doing for the last 10-12 years. It’s only in the last 1-1/2 years that I've started running the 1500m too. That has necessitated some extra training which has helped my 800m run as well," Manjit said.