On a Monday morning at the Anna Stadium in Tiruchi, former international high jumper Nallusamy Annavi and his wife O. Gnanasuganthi, athletics coach at the SDAT Sports Hostel, were putting young athletes through the paces.
The trainees included their children, A. Mothi Arun and A. Kevinaa Ashwine, junior national high jump champions in their respective age categories. Little wonder then that their preferred location was Anna Stadium for an interview: “We just love being at the ground. It keeps us fresh,” Annavi says.
Athletics dominates the conversation at the Annavi home as well.
“Athletics has become an integral part of our lives,” says Annavi, as he settles down for a chat.
Born in Puliyur-Melapalayam (Karur district), Annavi created a national record in high jump at the inter-State athletics meet in 1984. He is also a two-time champion in high jump at the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games. He even set a new meet mark in the 1987 SAF Games.
“As an athlete, I have had success and disappointments. But whatever I am today, it is because of athletics. I took up coaching after completing diploma in scientific coaching at National Institute of Sports (NIS), Bangalore, with the aim of sharing my knowledge with young athletes. It also helped me stay associated with athletics,” he recalls.
Two decades after quitting competitive athletics, Annavi, is back again on the field competing in the masters athletics meets (for competitors above 35 years). He instantly made a mark in the international arena, winning gold medals in shotput, hammer throw and discus throw events in the 50-plus age category at the 19th Asia Masters Athletics Championships in Singapore recently. “I was back on the victory podium and it was a wonderful feeling.”
Annavi, however, says he would not compare the international medals he won in his younger days, with the recent ones. Not that his recent wins have been easy ones. “Still, my children asked me whether I was the only participant in my events,” he laughs.
In fact, taking part in masters athletics meets was not in his agenda when he resumed fitness training in 2010. “I wanted to know the results for the hard work I had put in. The medals have reinforced my confidence that I am fit,” says Annavi, who works as Chief Reservation Supervisor, Southern Railway, Tiruchi Junction, and is also an athletic coach for the Indian Railways.
Why not high jump at the masters-level? “I didn’t want to aggravate the injuries I had sustained during my younger days. Hence, I thought it fit to do throwing events. I had been a decathlete in my younger days and as a coach I have trained throwers. The experience came in handy.”
And his road to the Asia championships? “First, it was the State meet at Tiruvallur, where I won two gold medals (shotput and discus throw) and silver in hammer throw. Then, at the national meet at Mysore, I won gold medals in shotput and discus throw and bronze in hammer throw. I qualified for the Asia meet and emerged winner in all the three events,” he explains.
During his days as a young athlete, apart from travelling the length and breadth ofIndia, he had also visited around 15 countries to take part in athletic meets.
“My focus was always on the competition and I wasn’t keen on sight-seeing. But it was a different experience this time around at Singapore. It was lot more relaxed and I spent quality time with teammates visiting a lot of places.”
As coaches, Annavi and Gnanasuganthi, also NIS-qualified, have produced some good athletes over the years. But they say that they had no fixed plan to push their children into athletics.
“They had enormous interest and it was easier for us to show them the route. Last year, our son (in under-20 category) and daughter (under-14 category) won gold medals at the national junior athletics championship in Ranchi. It was a proud moment for us,” says Gnanasuganthi.
Mothi, a final year student of National College, and Kevinaa, a class X student of St. John’s Vestry Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School, aim to make it to the Olympics. “We will definitely achieve it,” they say confidently.
Meanwhile, Annavi, who has qualified for the World Masters Athletics Championships to be held in Perth, Australia, later this year, hopes to extend his good run.
“But my participation depends on sponsorship. I was sponsored by some well wishers for the Asia meet. I am hoping for the best,” he smiles.
