Want people working with me, not against me: Indian 400m Relay Team Coach Jason Dawson Criticises Coaching Interference in Indian Athletics

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Chennai, Aug 21: The spotlight was on Tamil Nadu's Vishal TK, who stunned the athletics fraternity on Thursday (August 21) with a historic gold in the men's 400m at the Inter-State Athletics Championship 2025. Clocking 45.12 seconds, Vishal not only clinched the top podium but also broke Muhammed Anas' six-year-old National Record (45.21s).

It was the 21-year-old's fifth sub-46 run of the season, a staggering transformation for an athlete who, until last year, had never dipped below the 46-second barrier. Vishal now stands 4th on Asia's 2025 leaderboard, showcasing India's growing strength in quarter-mile events.

Dawson's Anger Despite Ecstasy

While the victory left India's 400m men's relay team head coach Jason Dawson ecstatic, it also brought out his frustration. The Jamaican, who has been mentoring India's 400m athletes, minced no words as he accused domestic coaches of interfering with his training programmes.

"For me, it's always been about honesty, dedication, and hard work. Athletes like Vishal bring that, and the results are in front of you," Dawson - who has been training the TN athlete since December last year - said. "But the problem in India is interference. Other coaches keep telling athletes what to do and not to do, disrupting the programme. That's the biggest obstacle I've faced here."

Dawson, who was at the centre of a major controversy last year when India's historic 4x400m relay team was dissolved after a rift, made it clear that he doesn't trust having an assistant coach. "I want people working with me, not against me. My mission here is not for me-it's for India."

"You can't come and try to trick the coach and the programme," Dawson came down heavily upon the attitude of some athletes, who complained about his strict training regimen. Further alleging local coaches of creating hindrance in his work by interfering in his programme, he stated, "I currently don't have the assistant coach and I do not want an assistant coach as I want people to work with me not against me."

The roots of Dawson's latest outburst can be traced back to last year's rift with members of India's men's 4x400m relay squad, the same team that had finished a historic fifth at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

The fallout led the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) to dissolve the celebrated relay unit at the NCOE Trivandrum 400m camp. At the time, AFI president Adille Sumariwalla had declared, "You'll be seeing new faces," signaling a fresh start.

While several athletes who accused Dawson of overtraining shifted to another coach, a core group - including Vishal TK, T Santhosh, and junior champion Jay Kumar - chose to continue under his guidance, keeping the simmering divide alive.

Vishal's Rise Amid Turmoil

Unlike some athletes who left Dawson after the fallout in 2023, Vishal chose to stick with him. That trust has paid off. Dawson revealed how simple but crucial changes-warm-ups, stretching routines, technical corrections-have transformed Vishal's running.

"Technically, he's still learning. He doesn't even know how to use blocks properly, but he listens, he works hard, and he doesn't let outside noise affect him. That makes him special," Dawson added.

A Bigger Mission for India

For Dawson, Vishal's success is not just personal-it's symbolic. "India's 400m runners must not just participate. They must compete with Americans, Brits, anyone, and compete well. That has always been my mission."

While Vishal's immediate focus is on recovery and consistency, Dawson insists the bigger vision is clear: Indian 400m athletics must aim for the world stage, without ego or interference standing in the way.