Saturday, August 13, 2016
Qualifying its largest contingent - India wins 120 Copper medals and bags largest ever medal haul
I was bemoaning the lack of India medals at Rio, and an article in Chinese media which explained lack of Indian success in Olympics, and wistfully concluding that I should stay for a while in say Netherlands with its thriving sports culture. However, I am much more optimistic today. After an in-taxi discussion with SM, and just watching Sudha Singh perform creditably in the heats of the women's 3000 m steeplechase (see next para), I realize- the fact that we have sent our largest contingent ever - 120, 37 more than 2012, is worth it's weight in Gold (medals). It struck me belatedly yesterday (so many days after the start of the Olympics- quite slow of me I say) that all these athletes have qualified from a intensely competitive global playing field- an incredible creditable feat in itself. Just being an Olympian puts them in the top bracket of athletes in the world. And specifically, there are immense positives from the perspective of woman participation in sports. Women's hockey team qualifying after 26 years, first woman gymnast to qualify (Deepa Karmarkar), there were a few other women firsts.
Sudha Singh, for example, was 8th (and last) in Heats #3 in the qualifications for Steeplechase finals. Top 2 from each heats make it. Yesterday, I would have been disgruntled and thought wistfully of that canal-side apartment in Rotterdam. But today, i dig deeper and rejoice- Sudha Singh qualified for the Rio Olympics by notching in 3,000 m steeplechase a time of 9:31, comfortably better than Rio qualification standard of 9:45. She later bettered it and set a national record of 9:27. (On a separate note, why not the author exhibit some of this digging deeper skills at work to avoid the snarky but common trap - "need to think through to next level of questions" in appraisals)
Imagine the tremendous ripple effect this contingent would have on Indian sports culture. Sporting pursuits run in the family and community. Now the sons and daughters and nieces and nephews of these Olympians will be inspired to pursue the sport. And not just families here would be touched by the effect, it would be entire communities. I was listening to the commentary during the India-Netherlands hockey game. He talked about how the hockey culture at Netherlands is highly familial, On holidays, in the mornings are hockey games between the sons-and-daughter generations spectated by the parents; while in the evenings the parents play and are spectated by the sons-and-daughters. What a wonderful tradition! However, the Olympians will make this a reality in India.
Next- Coaching. Like how Gopichand has returned to start his academy, spawning one new bronze medal already in the form of Saina 2012 (Maybe more in 2016). And remember, Gopichand himself did not win a medal. So there will be many more Olympians from this crop who have not themselves won a medal who'll share their experience and coach the next generation of aspiring athletes, and spawn medals. Mary Kom has started her boxing academy. Beyond coaching, some might enter administration, and thus the institute itself. It's like how an educational institute benefits from having strong alum- the institute of Indian sports is in safer hands with more olympians in the fray- these are the strong flagship alum.
Lastly, the diversity of sports- the larger contingent means more and more new frontiers are opening up. Like Sudha Singh's Steeplechase and Deepa Karmarkar's Gymanstics.
These 120 Olympians would benefit so much by living in that sports village and breathing that same air and eating that same food as legends such as Phelps and Boults- seeing them train, learning their ways. Such as Phelps' best practice of peeing in pool. Maybe he pees in the opposite direction of his swimming and he gets a rocket-like normal reaction thrust; perhaps he has mastered the direction of his peeing to give him maximum forward thrust. And in a moment of candor, he confesses this to Indian Swimmer Sajan Prakash in the changing room. Which Sajan carefully absorbs and brings back to India. On a serious note, Indian athletes will bring back the experience and the best practices to the Indian sporting system and culture.
Why this artificially imposed construct of Gold, Silver and Bronze medals? Why not add a new category- Copper- which every qualified Olympian wins. India, thus, returns from Rio with its largest ever medal haul- 120.
Credits: SM for the in-taxi discussion
Sudha Singh, for example, was 8th (and last) in Heats #3 in the qualifications for Steeplechase finals. Top 2 from each heats make it. Yesterday, I would have been disgruntled and thought wistfully of that canal-side apartment in Rotterdam. But today, i dig deeper and rejoice- Sudha Singh qualified for the Rio Olympics by notching in 3,000 m steeplechase a time of 9:31, comfortably better than Rio qualification standard of 9:45. She later bettered it and set a national record of 9:27. (On a separate note, why not the author exhibit some of this digging deeper skills at work to avoid the snarky but common trap - "need to think through to next level of questions" in appraisals)
Imagine the tremendous ripple effect this contingent would have on Indian sports culture. Sporting pursuits run in the family and community. Now the sons and daughters and nieces and nephews of these Olympians will be inspired to pursue the sport. And not just families here would be touched by the effect, it would be entire communities. I was listening to the commentary during the India-Netherlands hockey game. He talked about how the hockey culture at Netherlands is highly familial, On holidays, in the mornings are hockey games between the sons-and-daughter generations spectated by the parents; while in the evenings the parents play and are spectated by the sons-and-daughters. What a wonderful tradition! However, the Olympians will make this a reality in India.
Next- Coaching. Like how Gopichand has returned to start his academy, spawning one new bronze medal already in the form of Saina 2012 (Maybe more in 2016). And remember, Gopichand himself did not win a medal. So there will be many more Olympians from this crop who have not themselves won a medal who'll share their experience and coach the next generation of aspiring athletes, and spawn medals. Mary Kom has started her boxing academy. Beyond coaching, some might enter administration, and thus the institute itself. It's like how an educational institute benefits from having strong alum- the institute of Indian sports is in safer hands with more olympians in the fray- these are the strong flagship alum.
Lastly, the diversity of sports- the larger contingent means more and more new frontiers are opening up. Like Sudha Singh's Steeplechase and Deepa Karmarkar's Gymanstics.
These 120 Olympians would benefit so much by living in that sports village and breathing that same air and eating that same food as legends such as Phelps and Boults- seeing them train, learning their ways. Such as Phelps' best practice of peeing in pool. Maybe he pees in the opposite direction of his swimming and he gets a rocket-like normal reaction thrust; perhaps he has mastered the direction of his peeing to give him maximum forward thrust. And in a moment of candor, he confesses this to Indian Swimmer Sajan Prakash in the changing room. Which Sajan carefully absorbs and brings back to India. On a serious note, Indian athletes will bring back the experience and the best practices to the Indian sporting system and culture.
Why this artificially imposed construct of Gold, Silver and Bronze medals? Why not add a new category- Copper- which every qualified Olympian wins. India, thus, returns from Rio with its largest ever medal haul- 120.
Credits: SM for the in-taxi discussion
Labels: Esprit de sports
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