Why Indian athletics federation does not want junior athletes to over-train and specialise too early
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Only four of 133 Indian participants at youth championships at the world and Asian level made it to ‘mainstream’ senior track and field. Just three of 103 youth medallists advanced to the senior level in India. These statistics obtained from a survey resulted in a rethink within the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) about the junior programme and how to stop coaches from pushing young athletes to achieve quick success.Eliminating over-training that causes injuries and burnout in young athletes and preventing early specialisation in an event before the age of 17-18 was on the agenda of the Annual General Meeting of the AFI in Amritsar. Changes are also being proposed to limit the number of events for young athletes.
At the Asian youth (under-18) championships, it is proposed tha...