Tony Campbell interviewed by Chathura Ranasinghe
Tony Campbell is a US coach of many world champion athletes. He is well known here in Sri Lanka for being the coach of a living athletic legend of the whole of Asia, the inimitable Susi – Susanthika Jayasinghe – who helped her reach insurmountable heights; to become the only Asian to win an Olympic medal in a sprint event.
Tony visited Sri Lanka recently to promote the country’s athletics. During his visit, the renowned coach also spoke to The Sunday Morning Sports. Below are excerpts from his conversation with us.
Tony, why are you here?
I came to Sri Lanka this time as a coach to look into the coaches in here Sri Lanka. I will also look into finding young talent in the country.
Can you elaborate further?
My job here is to work with “Susan” (as Tony calls Susanthika) to help her discover young athletes and also to help the coaches. My work will centre on setting up coaching seminars so as to make your coaches better.
A coach must be able to go to different villages in search of talent and bring those new finds to the capital in order to develop such talents. We will also make sure that the coaches get properly educated by organising programmes, coaching clinics, and seminars.
When you first saw Susanthika, what about her stood out?
I met her first on the Olympic avenue. The very first day I saw her, I felt she had a great strength. She made a lot of sacrifices to get where she eventually reached in her career. I must say she did her training absolutely perfectly. She reached the Olympic medal step by step. On her way there, Susan broke all the barriers before her. She is easily one of my best athletes.
What do you really feel about the standards of our athletes?
There are many talented athletes in Sri Lanka. Susan is a perfect example. But we have not found another Susan for more than 19 years after she won her Olympic medal (silver in women’s 200 m at the 27th Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia in 2000). I think it’s a shame, yet I believe we can do that again.
In the meantime, during my stay, Susan and I will be working together to achieve some immediate goals. It is mainly to try and get some people ready for next year. The present Sports Minister wants to see results.
We are going to find these young talents and work hard thereafter. We are waiting to see at least one man or woman in Tokyo (for the 32nd Summer Olympics to be held in Tokyo, Japan from 24 July-9 August 2020).
Our goal is to raise Sri Lanka’s flag high in the Tokyo sky, so to speak. That’s our mission. I’m sure we can do that. That’s my strong belief.
You really think we can do it?
Yes. But it’ll take time. We can’t do it overnight. I really believe we can do it. First, we have to develop Sri Lanka’s coaches. That’ll be the way for the future. Our next job is to find him or her and bring him or her over here to Colombo. There is potential and we can make this country proud once again. If Susan could achieve that, I’m sure we can get there once again.
Photo Pradeep Dambarage
Tony Campbell is a US coach of many world champion athletes. He is well known here in Sri Lanka for being the coach of a living athletic legend of the whole of Asia, the inimitable Susi – Susanthika Jayasinghe – who helped her reach insurmountable heights; to become the only Asian to win an Olympic medal in a sprint event.
Tony visited Sri Lanka recently to promote the country’s athletics. During his visit, the renowned coach also spoke to The Sunday Morning Sports. Below are excerpts from his conversation with us.
Tony, why are you here?
I came to Sri Lanka this time as a coach to look into the coaches in here Sri Lanka. I will also look into finding young talent in the country.
Can you elaborate further?
My job here is to work with “Susan” (as Tony calls Susanthika) to help her discover young athletes and also to help the coaches. My work will centre on setting up coaching seminars so as to make your coaches better.
A coach must be able to go to different villages in search of talent and bring those new finds to the capital in order to develop such talents. We will also make sure that the coaches get properly educated by organising programmes, coaching clinics, and seminars.
When you first saw Susanthika, what about her stood out?
I met her first on the Olympic avenue. The very first day I saw her, I felt she had a great strength. She made a lot of sacrifices to get where she eventually reached in her career. I must say she did her training absolutely perfectly. She reached the Olympic medal step by step. On her way there, Susan broke all the barriers before her. She is easily one of my best athletes.
What do you really feel about the standards of our athletes?
There are many talented athletes in Sri Lanka. Susan is a perfect example. But we have not found another Susan for more than 19 years after she won her Olympic medal (silver in women’s 200 m at the 27th Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia in 2000). I think it’s a shame, yet I believe we can do that again.
In the meantime, during my stay, Susan and I will be working together to achieve some immediate goals. It is mainly to try and get some people ready for next year. The present Sports Minister wants to see results.
We are going to find these young talents and work hard thereafter. We are waiting to see at least one man or woman in Tokyo (for the 32nd Summer Olympics to be held in Tokyo, Japan from 24 July-9 August 2020).
Our goal is to raise Sri Lanka’s flag high in the Tokyo sky, so to speak. That’s our mission. I’m sure we can do that. That’s my strong belief.
You really think we can do it?
Yes. But it’ll take time. We can’t do it overnight. I really believe we can do it. First, we have to develop Sri Lanka’s coaches. That’ll be the way for the future. Our next job is to find him or her and bring him or her over here to Colombo. There is potential and we can make this country proud once again. If Susan could achieve that, I’m sure we can get there once again.
Photo Pradeep Dambarage