Jinson Johnson, who competed at the Rio 2016 Olympics in the 800m, ends his career with the 1500m national record and an Asian Games gold medal.
Olympian Jinson Johnson announced his retirement from competitive athletics on Wednesday, drawing the curtain on a decade-and-a-half-long career.
“From a boy with a dream, the journey started in Kolkata and reached the Asian Games podium in Hangzhou 2023,” Johnson said in an emotional social media post.
“Thank you athletics. Some journeys are measured in metres and seconds. Some are measured in tears, sacrifices, faith and the people who never let you fall,” he added.
Growing up, the 200m was Johnson’s preferred event, but as he matured he transitioned to longer distances after recognising they were better suited to his strengths.
Jinson Johnson qualified for the men’s 800m at the Rio 2016 Olympics but finished fifth in his heat, missing out on a place in the semi-finals.
His participation at Rio 2016 made him the first Indian male runner to qualify for the 800m at the Olympics since Sriram Singh in 1980.
Injuries and contracting COVID ruled him out of participation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
However, the Indian athlete won the gold medal in the 1500m and silver in the 800m at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.
He went on to bag the bronze medal in 1500m at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. Johnson also won the silver and bronze medals at the Asian Athletics Championships in 2015 and 2017, respectively.
Jinson Johnson, who has a tattoo of the Olympic rings on his right arm, holds the national record in 1500m.
He set the 1500m record at the ISTAF Berlin meet in 2019 with a time of timing of 3:35.24.
Jinson Johnson had also held the 800m national record in the past.
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