Midnight. Landline shrilled. Ajoba rushed. Chiyu, Janai Rajesh Patil, born. Aji rushed out of home; midnights are not times to get an auto. At 4 a.m. Aji and Ajoba speeded an auto in July rains to a Dahisar maternity home and lay in the cradle their dearest Chiyu. Chiyu turned on her belly, crawled, stood holding Aji for support, the first step of a long walk and then the run, every Mumbaikar is fated. Today, every morning, Chiyu is at the school ground, running. Aeons ago, in a different context somewhere in Africa, the first human took the Chiyu step....leaving the world wrapped in a wonder. In 2016, the run, sprints and marathons, are celebrated; the walk to the starting line for the run is not a camera shot. A world increasingly decided by corporates favours a run; it gives ad space; a corporate run garners middle class and the rich; and sports writers prodded by sports editors. Yet, the Origin of Species began with a walk like Nihal Koshie and The Indian Express over the last few days writing of Indian walkers; not front page news, that is for J. Bomrah with a bharata natyam bowling action; more a dancer than a bowler; fillers, respectable, three and four columners; today, Nihal Koshie writes of Indian male and female walkers bettering Olympic qualifying times. 'Walkers take giant stride' says Koshie and thank you very much for that. 'A statistic from the men's 20 km event at the 3rd National Open Race Walking Championship serves as an indicator. The top 7 walkers clocked a time within the qualifying mark set for the Rio Olympics. Add to this number, the two women, Khushbir Kaur and Sapna Punia, both had qualified before Saturday's event. Two others, Sandeep Kumar and Manish Rawat, have been fast enough to be eligible for both the 20k and 50k events.' Over four to five years, the timing in 20 km has been cropped from 1:25.00 to K.T. Irfan 1:20.21 in London Olympics; the qualifying time for Rio is 1: 24. Yet, our coach, Russian Alexander Artsybashev predicts a top-10 finish at Rio; no medals. That's okay; years ago our batsmen ran away from Hall, Gilchrist, Marshal and Holding; they did not want to bat. A top class walker, Babu Bhai Panocha is quoted: 'I used to tell people in my village (Ambava village, Malpur, Gujarat) that I was a sprinter. This was because nobody understood why there was a competition for walking. Nowadays, I think they accept what I do.' Yes, Panocha, me did not know you till date; over the last few days have been picking up from Nihal Koshie. Government believes India will win 10 to 14 medals; my bet is five, no gold. And for walking to get a gold, Standard Chartered should organise pristine 20 km and 50km walk events in January, in my dear Mumbai. Thanks again, Nihal Koshie.
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Walking to Rio
Midnight. Landline shrilled. Ajoba rushed. Chiyu, Janai Rajesh Patil, born. Aji rushed out of home; midnights are not times to get an auto. At 4 a.m. Aji and Ajoba speeded an auto in July rains to a Dahisar maternity home and lay in the cradle their dearest Chiyu. Chiyu turned on her belly, crawled, stood holding Aji for support, the first step of a long walk and then the run, every Mumbaikar is fated. Today, every morning, Chiyu is at the school ground, running. Aeons ago, in a different context somewhere in Africa, the first human took the Chiyu step....leaving the world wrapped in a wonder. In 2016, the run, sprints and marathons, are celebrated; the walk to the starting line for the run is not a camera shot. A world increasingly decided by corporates favours a run; it gives ad space; a corporate run garners middle class and the rich; and sports writers prodded by sports editors. Yet, the Origin of Species began with a walk like Nihal Koshie and The Indian Express over the last few days writing of Indian walkers; not front page news, that is for J. Bomrah with a bharata natyam bowling action; more a dancer than a bowler; fillers, respectable, three and four columners; today, Nihal Koshie writes of Indian male and female walkers bettering Olympic qualifying times. 'Walkers take giant stride' says Koshie and thank you very much for that. 'A statistic from the men's 20 km event at the 3rd National Open Race Walking Championship serves as an indicator. The top 7 walkers clocked a time within the qualifying mark set for the Rio Olympics. Add to this number, the two women, Khushbir Kaur and Sapna Punia, both had qualified before Saturday's event. Two others, Sandeep Kumar and Manish Rawat, have been fast enough to be eligible for both the 20k and 50k events.' Over four to five years, the timing in 20 km has been cropped from 1:25.00 to K.T. Irfan 1:20.21 in London Olympics; the qualifying time for Rio is 1: 24. Yet, our coach, Russian Alexander Artsybashev predicts a top-10 finish at Rio; no medals. That's okay; years ago our batsmen ran away from Hall, Gilchrist, Marshal and Holding; they did not want to bat. A top class walker, Babu Bhai Panocha is quoted: 'I used to tell people in my village (Ambava village, Malpur, Gujarat) that I was a sprinter. This was because nobody understood why there was a competition for walking. Nowadays, I think they accept what I do.' Yes, Panocha, me did not know you till date; over the last few days have been picking up from Nihal Koshie. Government believes India will win 10 to 14 medals; my bet is five, no gold. And for walking to get a gold, Standard Chartered should organise pristine 20 km and 50km walk events in January, in my dear Mumbai. Thanks again, Nihal Koshie.
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