Behind relay team’s memorable run: New-found belief, taskmaster coach
After India’s Russian-American 400 metre chief coach, Galina Bukharina parted ways with the Athletics Federation of India abruptly last winter, the quarter-milers were left clueless. Galina had joined the Indian setup at 72 and spent five years forging a solid bond with the runners.
Although closer to the end of her stint the relay teams performances dropped, she was a revered figure among the athletes.
So it was natural the athletes took a while to warm up to Jamaican Jason Dawson, who took over the reins of the 400m camp early this year. But despite the initial resistance Dawson earned the athletes’ trust and played a pivotal role in helping the men’s 4x400m dip below the 3-minute mark for the first time when they finished second in their hecoats at the World Championships in Budapest...