Dilip Gavit targets world records in 100m and 400m at Para Asian Games in Japan

Dilip Gavit said he will attempt to break the 100m and 400m world records at the upcoming Para Asian Games in Japan after winning a Games-record gold on his Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow. The T47 sprinter made the announcement to PTI while attending a felicitation ceremony organised by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to honour India's Commonwealth Games medallists.

Gavit outlined his ambitions in a three-part statement to PTI: "I want to set world records in the 100m and 400m at the Asian Games. At the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, I won gold in the 400m. It was my first time competing in the 100m at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and I won the gold medal with a Games record," Gavit told PTI on the sidelines of a felicitation ceremony organised by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to honour India's Commonwealth Games medallists.

He specified a target time for the 100m and recounted his earlier racing background: "I want to run 10.28 seconds. Earlier, I competed in able-bodied events. I won gold medals at the national level among able-bodied athletes and at the Khelo India Games. Back then, I mainly competed in the 400m," he said.

Gavit, who competes in the T47 category for athletes with upper limb impairments, acknowledged the Asian Games will present tougher opposition and said his coach will prepare him accordingly. "I'll be competing in both the 400m and the 100m. The level of competition will be higher. My coach will prepare me accordingly," he said.

On switching between sprint distances, Gavit described the 100m as a natural fit despite normally racing the 400m: "I usually compete in the 400m, so running the 100m wasn't difficult for me. I just had to sprint. I wasn't under any pressure because I really enjoy the 100m. I just went out, sprinted and had a lot of fun racing," he added.

Gavit dedicated his Commonwealth Games gold to his personal coach, Vaijanath Kale, and recounted how Kale supported him since 2016. "The day I ran the 100m in Glasgow was Guru Purnima. My coach Kale sir always tells me that no matter what happens, the only goal should be to make India proud. His words stayed in my mind. "I was determined. I had decided that if I won the gold medal that day, I would dedicate it to my guru," he said. "Kale sir kept me at his home, treated me like a family member and gave me all the training and support I needed," he said.

Gavit said he has little desire to rest between events and emphasised the importance of continued training ahead of the Asian Games. "I've already had enough rest during this period. I don't want to rest. There are more competitions ahead, and I need to be ready for them. That's why training is extremely important," he said. "Now I'll return and resume training for the 400m. My coach will decide the training accordingly. Training for the 400m automatically helps with the 100m as well, but the main focus will be on the 400m," he said.

Gavit will head to the Para Asian Games in Japan scheduled next, entered in both the 100m and 400m with the explicit objective of setting world records in those events.