A few days ago, the 2022 Commonwealth Games concluded with India ranking fourth out of seventy-two participating nations. Since then, fulsome praise has been deservedly lavished on the Indian athletes whose sporting achievements have thrust them into the limelight. Unsurprisingly, many of these athletes have faced incredible struggles and encountered many challenges in their lives, leading up to their moment of glory.
The rise of Avinash Sable, India’s premier steeplechaser, from a village bereft of roads and water supply is an awe-inspiring but all too familiar tale. Mirabai Chanu’s journey from a tiny village in Manipur to international stardom is a testament to the cliches about achieving success through grit and determination. And the story of how the gold-medal-winning quartet of lawn bowlers came together, is ripe for a movie adaptation.
Excelling, or even engaging in, elite sports requires discipline, training and unwavering focus. It is trite to say that only the most accomplished athletes earn the privilege to represent their nation in international sporting tournaments. But one cannot deny the role serendipity plays in an athlete’s life. Every time the ‘Games’ seasons roll in (the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and so on) and the nation's gaze is turned towards our athletes, the mainstream media is inundated with their origin stories. And more often than not, these stories contain a pivotal moment when the luck of the draw, a roll of the dice, a toss of the coin, turned the course of an athlete’s life towards a particular sport. Without that sliver of good fortune, all the latent ability and tenacity an athlete possesses could well be rendered meaningless.
Now I know it may seem far-fetched but I have often wondered how my life would have turned out if I had experienced such a serendipitous moment. What if I had been scouted at a young age and marked as a rare sporting talent? Would I have veered towards a career in sports? Would I too be gracing international tournaments while donning national colours?
I can sense you raising your eyebrows and smirking as you read this. A tad bit presumptuous this fellow is, you may be muttering. Let me hasten to clarify that I am not delusional. I am well aware of my physiological limitations. Once when I was younger and had been flexing my biceps in front of a mirror, my mother having observed my preening, had stuck a single broomstick into a potato and gleefully waved it before me. The ignominy of this insult was compounded by the accuracy of the simulacrum to my physique.
So, the fantasy in which I am “discovered” as a sporting prodigy as a child, is tempered by the fact that I was a remarkably unathletic child. Weightlifting and track-and-field events, therefore, would have remained out of reach.
What about boxing? I have this distinct memory, from when I was a five-year-old, of having punched a boy who had tried to steal my Five-Star candy bar; and then, seeing the blood gushing out of his nose, I had proceeded to wail with such ferocity that the boy with the bloodied nose had been forced to calm me down. In short, boxing would have been a no-go.
Swimming? My parents had enrolled me in swimming classes for three consecutive summers, between the ages of seven to nine. In those three years, I had swallowed copious amounts of pool water, tested the patience of the trainers, constantly complained about my ears being blocked, and rarely ventured further than the railed edges of the pool. Eventually, my parents and I had amicably agreed that given a choice between drowning and taking swimming classes for a fourth year, I’d take my chances with drowning.
Gymnastics? (I’m joking.)
Fencing? I did staple my hand once, but I am unsure if that would have counted. From what I know, fencing requires one to stick needles into one’s opponent and not one’s own self.
And through this process of careful elimination, I finally arrived at the sport which could have been my calling, my deliverance, my destiny. The sport which, notwithstanding all my flaws and shortcomings, I could have embraced and excelled at. The sport which could have made me a hero. I am referring to Curling.
If you are unfamiliar with Curling, the below video should give you a fair idea of what it encompasses.
This activity, and I am deathly serious, is an Olympic mainstay. Some say that it was an elaborate hoax which spun out of control and reached a stage where there was no turning back. Everybody had to pretend they were serious about classifying it as a sporting discipline and so it was included in the Olympic lineup.
My only regret is not knowing about this sport when I was younger. I believe I possessed all the attributes to be a Curling maestro. You may not know it now from the way I grimace every time I have to bend (my lower back is not what it used to be) but in my youth, I was quite adept at sweeping. And chucking things across the floor was practically my sole occupation as a kid. If only I had been noticed by a Curling coach at the opportune moment, they would have taken me under their wing and shaped me into a Curling champion. Alas, it was not to be.
Luck does indeed play a crucial role in an athlete’s life and in my case, its absence consigned me to anonymity. Let my story be a cautionary tale, friends. If India is to become a sporting superpower, we must all play our part in it. If you spot sporting talent around you, encourage them to pursue it with passion. The right support at the right time can change lives. And remember anything can be a sport (quite literally - trampolining is an Olympic event), so don’t hold people back from dreaming. Let us not lose our next curling or trampolining champion, on account of being ignorant.