Indian athletes not keen to follow Li Na

Husbands who coach their athlete wives in India can breathe easy.

Few seem keen to follow the path set by China's Li Na whose decision to sack husband Jiang Shan as her coach culminated in her winning the French Open, and becoming the first Asian to win a tennis grand slam singles title, earlier this month.

"She (Li) must be having her reasons but in my case, I owe my career to my husband," discus thrower Krishna Poonia told Reuters. "After the birth of my son, I almost gave up athletics.

"He talked me out of it and kept me motivated," the 29-year-old Commonwealth Games champion said of her husband Virender, who is in the running for this year's best Indian coach's award.

"You don't have many qualified coaches in India. As my husband, he knows my habits and can point out if I'm going wrong anywhere.

"It also means I don't miss him much. Most of the times he is with me.

"I have a round-the-clock coach whom I can approach any time. That's a luxury," said the thrower who has resumed training after being sidelined by a knee injury.

Krishna is not the first to think along those lines with several past athletes using their husbands as their coaches.

Long jumper Anju Bobby George, who won bronze in the 2003 world championships, is also training under the supervision of husband Robert in her effort to qualify for next year's London Olympics.

Virender Singh Poonia said the decision was a relatively easy one to understand, at least in India.

"It's definitely an advantage for an athlete. I coach four other girls and they are not expressive enough," he said.

"Having your husband as coach means you can be free and frank with him.

"He would understand you more than anybody else. I have 10 years' coaching experience which is not easy to find in a country where coaches are not really abundant.

"Athletics is not a big money sport here and you can't afford a personal coach. So having a husband who doubles up as your coach puts you ahead of others."