Asian Games Gold Medalist And Olympian Jinson Johnson Retires

 

Asian Games gold-winning Indian middle-distance runner Jinson Johnson announced his retirement from the sport after a 15-year career. Johnson, who has won three medals in the Asian Games and also participated in the Rio 2016 Olympics, took to his Instagram handle to announce his retirement in a post which narrated his journey.

"From a boy with a dream started the journey from Kolkata and reached to Asian Games podium in Hangzhou 2023. Thank you, Athletics," Johnson wrote on Instagram.

"Some journeys are measured in meters and seconds. Some are measured in tears, sacrifices, faith, and the people who never let you fall."

 

200m was Jinson’s preferred event while growing up, but he eventually transitioned to longer distances and showed his supremacy in his discipline at the continental level. He won the 1500m gold in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games with a time of 3 minutes and 44.72 seconds. He also won a silver medal in the same event.

The 34-year-old Kerala athlete won a 1500m bronze in the Hangzhou Asian Games in October 2023. Also, he won the silver and bronze medals in the 2015 and 2017 Asian Athletics Championships, respectively.

800m and 1500m national records

The Kerala athlete owns two records in his illustrious career - 800m and 1500m. In 2018, he broke the record set by Sriram Singh during the National Inter-State Championship in Guwahati in the 800m with a time of 1 minute and 45.65 seconds. Also, he inked his name in the record books in the 1500m as well, breaking Bahadur Prasad's 23-year-old 1500m national record while participating in the Commonwealth Games 2018, clocking a time of 3 minutes and 37.86 seconds.

 

Although Johnson didn’t make a podium finish in the Rio 2016 Olympics, he made history by qualifying for the Games. He became the first runner since 1980 to qualify for the 800m after Sriram Singh.

Thanking the coaches and the Athletics Federation of India for their guidance

Johnson thanked his coaches, fellow athletes, the government and the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for guidance and support.

"This journey was never mine alone. My heartfelt thanks to everyone who worked tirelessly behind the scenes-often unseen, but always felt... thank you for pushing me every single day. You turned pain into progress and struggle into strength. I would not be the athlete I am without you," he added.