ATHLETICS | With an eye on the Paris Olympics, Vismaya takes a fresh start

Vismaya, India's star of the last Asian Games, is out of the national camp due to injuries and lack of confidence. She is determined to make a comeback and compete in the National Games and National Open. She believes India can win the women's relay gold again at the Paris Olympics if all athletes can reproduce their individual best.

V.K. Vismaya was the star of the last Asian Games, helping India win its fifth consecutive gold in the women’s 4x400m relay with her strong anchor leg in Jakarta 2018. But as athletes get ready for track and field action in Hangzhou, the Kerala quartermiler is nowhere in the picture.

In fact, she is out of the national camp too. Injuries and a loss of confidence, on her return, saw the 26-year-old struggle through this season. From an impressive personal best of 52.12s in the 400m in 2019, Vismaya could manage only a best of 54.65 at the Ranchi Federation Cup in July and slipped to 55.69s at the crucial Inter-State Nationals in Bhubaneswar.

With next year’s Paris Olympics being the big lure, Vismaya is back to the basics, starting all over again. She will be in action at the Tony Daniel memorial 67th Kerala State senior championships which begin here on Thursday.

“We have the National Games and the National Open coming up so I want to come back this year. I think I can get back to 53s slowly, step by step,” said Vismaya in a chat with The Hindu on Wednesday evening.

“That’s why I will be running the 200 and 400m at the State meet.”

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Almost all the country’s leading quartermilers have had strange ups and downs this year. That could have offered Vismaya hope of getting back into the relay team for the Olympics.