Howrah News Service -  Latest news and headlines on Howrah,West Bengal and World: Manjit eyes gold at Beijing

Manjit eyes gold at Beijing
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ASIANAGE on 16 July, 2008 02:39:10
 
BY OUR CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi
July 16: After making the grade in the 4x400m relay and individual 400m for the
Beijing Games, Indian sprinter Manjit Kaur sounded confident of clinching the
first gold for the country.
"We have a good team and I hope this time we can turn things around," Manjit
said here on Wednesday.
The relay team made the Olympic cut after clocking 3:32.50sec in the recently
concluded Asian Grand Prix at Bangkok.
However, Manjit’s injury at the national meet in Madurai raised doubts about
the team’s ability to qualify but she has recovered fully from the hamstring
and is raring to go. "I am fully fit now and have only one thing in mind — to
make my country proud by clinching gold at Beijing," she said.
The 20-year-old, who won a gold in the 4x100m relay and a silver in 400m at the
2006 Doha Asian Games, needs to prove her mettle at the Olympics given the fact
that she finished seventh in the 400m run at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
"I may not have done so well individually at the Olympics but our 4x400m team
set an Asian record clocking 3:26.89sec, though were unable to win in the end,"
she said.
Asked why Indian athletes struggled when it came to international competitions,
she said: "There has always been a step-motherly treatment from the government
towards athletes as compared to cricket or tennis players. The infrastructure is
lacking and we are also unable to get adequate exposure outside the country, for
which you need sponsors. But it is very difficult to find a sponsor who will
support you consistently."
"It’s the first time Omaxe are sponsoring my training and I feel a lot more
confident now," she added.
The runner will now leave for Malaysia on Tuesday for acclimatisation training
before heading to Beijing for the Games.