Boiled veggies now part of Jamaica-bound Amiya Mallick's diet

"My diet had been specific in the past several weeks. I am avoiding oily and spicy food. I have been avoiding eating out. Besides, I am focusing on protein, green boiled vegetables," Mallick told IANS in an interview.

Amiya Mallick

The 21-year-old sprinter, who has the best individual timing of 10.50 seconds in the 100-metre and 21.22 seconds in the 200m, left for Jamaica
yesterday. He was ranked No 1 in India in the men's 200m category in 2009.

He bagged a gold medal in 200m clocking 21.22 seconds at the National Athletic Championship in Ranchi in September last year.

"Anil Kumar Prakash holds the current 200 metres national record of 20.73 second and my aim is to break that. I will work hard to achieve the speed," said Mallick, who is pursuing a Master's degree in Business Administration from Bhubaneswar-based KIIT University.

"Usually most of the parents want that their children should play badminton, tennis or cricket but I am lucky that my parents have been always supportive of me. Besides my family, my coach, friends and colleagues have all encouraged and helped me," he added.

The sprinter said during the training stint in Jamaica he would sharpen skills to improve his timing. "My target is to qualify for the two important events this year," said Mallick, who began his sports activities from his schooling days.

"They are Commonwealth Games at Glasgow scheduled in July-August and the Asian Games at Incheon in South Korea in September-October this year," he said.

"Like every athlete, I do have Olympic dreams, but I am not in a hurry. I want to go step by step," he said.

A native of Olansh village in Cuttack district, Mallick's dream came true when the world-famous Racers Track Club, founded by Mills at Jamaica, accepted his request to train with them.

He will undergo a five-month training stint from January 15 with the financial assistance from the state government and the Odisha Olympic Association among others.