Need more foreign exposure: Poovamma

Asian Games double medallist M.R. Poovamma said Saturday that Indian athletes needed additional international exposure to realise their dream of winning medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Poovamma was part of the gold-medal claiming 4x400 metre women's relay team and also won bronze in the individual 400m in the 17th Asian Games at Incheon.

The 4x400m relay team - comprising of Poovamma, Mandeep Kaur, Tintu Lukka and Priyanka Pawar - defended their gold medal, setting a Games record of three minutes and 28.68 seconds, ensuring India's supremacy in the event and winning top spot for the fourth consecutive time.

"We need more foreign exposure in overseas conditions. Unless and until we get that it will not be easy. For winning medals at the Olympics, increased training abroad is necessary," the track-and-field star said on the sidelines of a felicitation programme organised by ONGC to honour the 18 Asian Games medallists employed by it, here.

"In our country, training is not so advanced. Compared to other countries that is where we lag behind."

"Running in national championships won't help. When we run with those standard athletes, we will get an idea where we stand. Usually we run in the nationals and then participate in the international events. So we don't know at what level they are running. But if we train abroad with foreign athletes, we will have an idea where we and our competitors stand. In Asian Games we are number one. But in Olympics we are nowhere close to winning medals," she added.

She said her employer ONGC and the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) do provide foreign exposure but the athletes need even more assistance from them.

Poovamma said she will focus more on the individual 400m and expressed confidence about doing well at the Rio Olympics in the event as that will automatically improve her performance for the relay team.

She added that they needed to train under foreign coaches as "they are more experienced in handling medal-winning athletes".

She also praised her relay teammate Mandeep Kaur.

"I knew our team was really good and that Mandeep will give me a lead as she is such an experienced athlete. I wanted to increase the lead that she gave me. We created a Games record. The dual-medal winning performance has increased my confidence level. It has boosted our confidence that we can really do well in the Olympics," the 24-year-old said.