After 10,000m collapse, Shivaji storms to 5000m gold

RANCHI: Shivaji Parashuram had finished second in the 10,000m race on the first day of the National Senior Athletics Federation Competition at Birsa Munda Stadium here on Friday, thereby qualifying for the Asian U23 meet.However, after crossing the finish line, he collapsed due to dehydration and had to be carried off the track by officials. It took him some time to recover, and was later hospitalised. To make matters worse, he was disqualified for stepping off the track, most likely caused by disorientation due to dehydration.He, however, put that disappointment behind him on Monday morning, racing to victory in the 5,000m and securing his place at the Asian U23 meet with a timing of 14:14.43.Speaking after the race, the 22-year-old from Belavatagi village in Karnataka’s Haliyal Taluk said his focus will now be on rest and recovery ahead of upcoming competitions.“I need to take care of the injury and allow my body to recover properly. I’ve been moving around a lot over the past month, so now it’s important to prepare better and give my body time,” said Shivaji.Reflecting on the 10,000m race, he added, “The humidity was very high, and for long-distance runners that makes a big difference. I felt comfortable until around the 9km mark, but the final kilometre was extremely difficult. I was completely exhausted and even became unconscious.”This time, however, he ensured there was no repeat of those issues, adopting a different strategy after discussions with his coach Ajith Markose at Reliance.“We worked on his hydration plan and made sure he was drinking water during the race. After 2km, we ensured he took fluids, and he did the same after the third kilometre. I think that made the difference this time,” said Markose.Apart from the change in strategy, the support he received from fellow runners — especially long-distance runner Seema, who won the women’s 5,000m title — also played a key role.“Seema didi has been a huge support. She’s always there for me. Whenever I feel something is not right, I go to her and she helps me sort things out,” said Shivaji, an Asian U-20 5,000m silver medallist.Interestingly, he has faced dehydration issues earlier as well, though not as severe. “It happened during a 10K race in Bengaluru, where I finished the race walking,” he added.Despite the strong comeback, his coach is keen not to push him too hard and prefers a gradual approach. “We don’t want to overload him or place too many expectations on him, as that can be counterproductive. We plan to continue with the same approach without making any major changes,” said Markose.“He may compete in one or two Indian Athletics Series events and then aim to achieve a personal best at the U-23 Asian Championships. There’s a strong chance he could win a medal.”If that happens, it will be a remarkable turnaround.