A fight against all odds and run up to the glorious finish line -Tale of Chennai’s own sporting superheroes in the Olympics 2016

The thing about sports is that it recognises neither hierarchies nor statuses, nor castes nor creeds. It doesn’t question or pass judgements and neither does it distinguish between lines drawn by mankind. If it does recognize one thing and one thing alone then it is talent, grit and the sheer willpower that is forged strong enough so as to propel one to the finish line.

And what better time to witness classic examples of gut coming together with gumption, in full public view, on the world’s largest sporting than the Rio Olympics 2016.

Sporting spirit

Cut to the present scenario at the stadiums and one will be witness to a stellar show by global athletes performing (and outperforming) previous world records in their chosen sport. A dazzling spectacle watching heroes and legends competing and vying for the same numero uno spot as hitherto unknown stars, sports arenas are abuzz with trailblazers who’ve come to this stage drafting legendary stories of sweat and toil. That they come to glory is not a matter of chance but choice.

Back here, in Chennai too one will find glittering examples of prodigies who’re paving their own paths and are, along the way making their lives an inspirational testimony for others to follow. We discover-

Ready, set, go!

He is young, in fact he’s just 19, and however, age is the least of considering factors when you’re on the track. That he’s the youngest team participant in the Indian contingent in the 4×400 m relay team at the 2016 Olympics at Rio is definitely one!
As a small child, R Mohan Kumar all of 11, had seen Usain Bolt on TV doing what he does best, zip down the track field like a flash of lightning. What followed was Mohan’s journey from thereon, beating all odds, practising long hours and a concerted effort from his family and coaches ensuring that Kumar’s gift on the track does not go to waste. For talent there was.
Hailing from an extremely modest background, Mohan’s family, including his medal winning state level (athletics) player, and coaches rallied around him, often with utmost difficulty, in order to guarantee Mohan’s training and equipment did not go lacking in any way. To say that Mohan’s resilience in the sport shone through is possibly undermining his obvious flair. For Mohan has already displayed his skills, winning laurels at local competitions and later outshining with a gold win at the National Junior Championships, Ranchi in 2015 besides having made the state proud by securing a gold in relay at the Kerala National Games in the same year.

On track for Rio

On the basis of his merit and sheer aptitude, his meteoric rise to fame in the sporting arena saw R Mohan Kumar being selected for the Rio Olympics this year. Not an easy task for any player however, as the selection procedures are very stringent and closely contested, but one that must have been intensely personally rewarding, not to mention fulfilling, as R Mohan Kumar was chosen to represent (amidst leading six other participants) India in the 4×400 m relay event in the Rio Olympics 2016.

If it’s glittering, it must be gold

R Hepzibah is all of 16 years but her journey from the streets to stardom is one that is paved with hard work, resolve and a bit of providence perhaps. A star that was already in the making, Hepzibah’s talent shone through when she became conscious of the fact that she was a good athlete while in her sixth grade. Having proved her merit in the local and neighbourhood constituency races, Hepzibah had already set course on her gift by virtue of her own fortitude.

That she was selected on the basis of her talent and secure for herself an opportunity to represent her country in the World Street Child Games in Brazil was something she possibly couldn’t have predicted. But go she did, for she was among the selected few (through an initiative by an NGO) to fly to Brazil and represent the nation on this world platform. A dazzling opportunity for Hepzibah, her homecoming wasn’t empty handed, for you see, she has secured for herself three glittery medals, one of which is a gold.