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The Times of India
The Times of India
Sport
Biju Babu Cyriac | TNN

CWG 2022: Abdulla Aboobacker reaps rewards of focus and dedication

Focused and dedicated: that's the lasting impression men's triple jump silver medal winner Abdulla Aboobacker N has created in the minds of his coaches and teachers.

Aboobacker, who emerged as a prodigy at the school sports meets in Kerala in 2013-14, travelled all the way to the state capital Thiruvananthapuram from Valayam, a village in Kozhikode district, immediately after his 12th grade to train under noted coach MA George, who guided MA Prajusha to a silver medal at the 2010 CWG.

"What I liked most about him was his total dedication. Unlike other trainees, he didn't have any distractions and was focused and that helped to climb the podium," George told TOI.

Aboobacker, who now trains under coach Hari Krishnan in the national camp, is one among the four Indians to cross the 17m mark, topping the list at 17. 19m. Eldhose Paul (PB 16. 99m) was fourth but secured his berth after Karthik Unnikrishnan (PB 17. 10m) slipped in the world rankings.

It was a tough time for the triple jumpers at Birmingham with their coach not around and helping them out from Bengaluru.

"All my efforts over the last three weeks to help with their training have helped. During the competition I was communicating with Eldhose and Abdu through long jumper Anees," Hari Krishnan said. "I know Abdu is a fighter, so I told him to jump with full aggression and he came up with his best in his fifth attempt."

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