Asian gold-winner and 1500m national record holder Jinson Johnson retires

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 legendary 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."

Recalling his long journey, Johnson said, "My journey began in 2007 in Kolkata, with my first school National medal. I did not know then where this road would lead me. I only knew one thing -- I wanted to run for India.

"What followed was a life shaped by relentless training, quiet struggles, painful injuries, lonely tracks, comebacks that tested my soul, and moments that made every sacrifice worth it."

The year 2018 was the best of his career with several successes coming his way.

"In 2018, I was ranked top athlete in Asia, which gave me the opportunity to represent Asia-Pacific at the IAAF World Continental Cup in Ostrava. That year was truly momentous -- I won gold in the 1500m and silver in the 800m at the Jakarta Asian Games.

"Everything was going well until 2019, when COVID and a severe Achilles tendon injury hit my career hard. After three long years of setbacks and recovery, I returned to win a bronze medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023 -- my final race at the National and International level."

He thanked his coaches, fellow athletes, the government and the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for guidance and support.

"This journey was never mine alone. My heartfelt thanks to everyone who worked tirelessly behind the scenes-often unseen but always felt... thank you for pushing me every single day.

"You turned pain into progress and struggle into strength. I would not be the athlete I am without you."



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