The history of Indian athletics is peppered with moments of premature optimism, often seeing athletes peak during domestic meets but fail to deliver when they reach the international arena.
Just before the Rio Olympic qualifiers ended, Maheshwary produced a stunning 17.30m triple jump in Bangalore, setting a new national record and placing him third in the world for 2016. This sudden burst of form led many to believe he could contend for a top-six spot, but the reality in Rio was a disappointing 30th-place finish.
It is worth remembering how Indian track and field stars have frequently excelled at home only to falter in major global competitions. This pattern is particularly relevant now, as athletes are rushing to secure their spots for the Doha World Championships before the qualification period expires in less than fourteen days.
With the deadline fast approaching, athletes have two final opportunities to qualify for Doha: the 59th National Inter-State championships in Lucknow and a recently rescheduled sixth leg of the Indian Grand Prix in New Delhi, which serves as a last-chance lifeline. Given historical trends, any sudden spike in domestic performance should be viewed with a grain of salt. While 17 athletes have already secured their places via qualifying standards or gold medals at the Asian Athletics Championships, some have since faced setbacks. For instance, 400m hurdles silver medalist Dharun Ayyasamy has been sidelined by injury, and star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has had to recover from elbow surgery.
In all, 17 individual athletes have met qualifying standards or won gold at the continental event Asian Athletics Championships – to guarantee an entry at the World Championships. Some of them have been laid low with injury in the intervening period, such as Asian Games 400 metre hurdles silver medallist Dharun Ayyasamy, while India’s brightest star, javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra underwent an elbow surgery.
Other promising talents have also seen their momentum fade, with Anjali Devi being a notable case. After a strong 51.79-second run at the Open Nationals in Bhubaneswar last September, her performance dropped so sharply that she was removed from the national camp. She isn't alone in this struggle to maintain peak form heading into the Doha event. After the euphoria of multiple medals at the 2018 Asian Games and the Asian Athletics Championships, the sport may be heading toward a reality check in a little over a month.