NEW DELHI: National record-holder and Asian Games gold-winning Indian middle distance runner Jinson Johnson announced his retirement on Wednesday, saying that "it is time for something new" after a 15-year career shaped by "relentless training, quiet struggles, and painful injuries".
The 34-year-old Kerala athlete has not competed since winning a 1500m bronze in the Hangzhou Asian Games in October 2023. His best moment was winning the 1500m gold in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games with a time of 3 minutes 44.72 seconds. He also won a silver in 800m in the same Games.
"From a boy with dream started the journey from Kolkata and reached up to Asian Games podium in Hangzhou 2023. Thank you Athletics," Johnson wrote on Instagram.
"Some journeys are measured in meters and seconds. Some are measured in tears, sacrifices, faith, and the people who never let you fall."
In 2018, Johnson broke Sriram Singh's 42-year-old men's 800m national record during the National Inter-State Championship in Guwahati by clocking 1 minute 45.65 seconds. His national mark was, however, eclipsed by Mohammed Afsal in 2025.
During the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, Johnson broke Bahadur Prasad's 23-year-old 1500m national record with a time of 3 minute 37.86 seconds though he finished fifth in the final.
He later improved his own national record twice, the latest instance being the 3:35.24sec mark in 2019 in a Berlin meet.
"Breaking two National Records and contributing to Indian athletics remains one of the proudest moments of my life.
"I was blessed to represent my Country at the Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games. Every time I wore the tricolour, I ran not just with my legs, but with my heart."
BLURB: Jinson Johnson is the national record holder in the 1500m, having set the mark at the ISTAF Berlin meet in 2019 with a time of 3:35.24. He had earlier also held the national record in the 800m