Mohammed Afsal Pulikkalakath
The Indian media is focused on cricket. In the process, achievers in other sports are often denied the limelight. One such person who has not been given his due is India’s most consistent track athlete Mohammed Afsal who has ruled the 800-metre races in India and Asia for several years.
Mohammed Afsal Pulikkalakath of Kerala is a specialist in the 800 metres (also called the two-lap race). Back in 2023 he won the silver medal against very strong runners in the Asian Games at Hangzhou in China. The race was won by Essa Kzwani of Saudi Arabia. The gold medal winner timed 1minute 48.05 seconds while Afsal timed 1 minute 48.43 seconds. So it was a fraction of a second that separated the first and second placed runners.
After reaching that level, Afsal never looked back. Recently he again crowned himself with glory when he broke a seven-year-old record held by his teammate Jinson Johnson. This time, Afsal improved even more and timed 1 minute 45.61 seconds while winning Silver at the UAE Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai.
It was a major feat because some of the best runners from Kenya were also in the race. Later, speaking about his record-breaking feat, Afsal told ESPN: “The race was fast throughout. I understood immediately that my time will be a very fast one. The Kenyan runner (gold medalist Nicholas Kiplagat) has timed 1 minute 44 seconds and he is among the top-most runners now. But I feel that the more you run with the faster runners, the faster you become.”
In middle-distance races such as the 800m and the 1500m, tactics are extremely important. Afsal used the right tactics in this race. He held back till the end of the first lap but at around 550 metres, he changed gears and pressed the accelerator. His sudden burst caught the others by surprise and it saw him speeding past the rest at the final bend. Eventually, the final kick 30 metres before the end fetched him the silver.
Examining his background we can see that Afsal has been persistent and determined throughout his career. After making his mark in the 2013 Asian School Championships in Malaysia, he came to be known as one of India’s best runners in that age group.
A few years after he won the 800m bronze at the National Games, the Indian Air Force recruited him. However, he still had some hurdles to overcome. He had to buy equipment and manage his diet on a modest salary. He explained: “Running spikes may cost about Rs 20,000, and then we need to buy supplements, make sure of staying on a high protein diet and so on. So it was difficult at times.” However, he was lucky that his parents, especially his mother Haseena, supported him wholeheartedly.
In 2021, came a good break. Ajith Markose, a coach with the Reliance Foundation, asked him to become a member of the organisation and Afsal’s performance went up further. The foundation also helped by providing for expenses on running spikes, apparel, diet and physiotherapy.
Most two-lap runners have either speed or endurance. Afsal is one of those rare runners who have both. That gives him an advantage over other runners. Afsal’s immediate priority is to meet the target of 1 minute 44.50 seconds which will enable him to qualify for the forthcoming World Athletic Championships that are to be held in Tokyo in September 2025. Given his determination and talent, he seems likely to take himself and India to great heights in the near future.
This post was last modified on May 20, 2025 7:41 pm