There is a certain simplicity about Sanjivani Jadhav that touches you. The 21-year-old from Nasik in Maharashtra is warm, patient and clear about things.
Sanjivani made history recently when she won the 10,000m silver at the World University Games in Taipei, the first Indian track athlete to do so. She also took the 5000m bronze at the Bhubaneswar Asians in July.
With the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games lined up next year, Sanjivani has her goals firm and clear. But she has to first clear the Athletics Federation of India’s qualification hurdles for the two majors.
“The AFI’s qualification timings in the 5000 and 10,000 are very tough, I’m some 35 to 40 seconds away from both,” said Sanjivani in a chat with The Hindu after topping her 5000m heats in the 78th National inter-university athletics championship which began at the Acharya Nagarjuna University here on Tuesday. The opening day had only qualification rounds.
“But I think I can make them. The CWG (in Australia, in April) will be tough but it will help me prepare well for the Asiad (in Indonesia, August). My chances are better at the Asiad.”
Belarusian Nikolai Snesarev, the National coach for distance runners, has been trying to take Sanjivani under his wings but she is clear that she wants to stay away.
“For the last three years, Nikolai sir has been asking me to join his national camp. But my coach Vijender Singh gives me training according to my body structure, it is step by step, I am comfortable with it,” said the SP Pune University athlete.
“I fear that if I go to Nikolai’s camp, the load would be too much… I might get injured.”
The AFI’s new rule says that athletes who skip national camps would not be allowed to compete in qualification meets for the CWG and Asian Games. But that does not trouble Sanjivani.
“I’m not worried. They said something similar before the Asian Championship but no action was taken. There are many others, including Olympians, who are currently training under their personal coaches,” said Sanjivani who took to sport with wrestling before moving to distance running.
“And if I qualify, I don’t think the AFI will take a harsh decision to spoil my career.”