He did not throw his weight around but sweated it out for years together with his coach for a place in the Youth Olympic Games scheduled to be held in Nanjing in China next month.
S. Mithravarun of Coimbatore, who switched from shot-put to discus throw, is making gentle waves in the country. He is also the State’s rising star in this sport.
About three years ago, when the 17-year-old was just getting into the swing of things, his coach R.M. Narayanan (LIC) said he will strike it big in a couple of years as he had good physique and natural releasing power.
And, the young boy did not disappoint him. He grew from strength to strength to clinch a berth for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Asian Area qualification meet in Bangkok in May this year.
It was his first international test. But the young and ambitious athlete from Mani Higher Secondary School showed nerves of steel while fighting against some of the best in the field for a place in the Youth Olympics.
He finished fourth with a heave of 54.20m. China finished one-two followed by Japan. It was just three metres that separated the top four. Mithravarun was obviously disappointed having missed the bus. But lady luck smiled on him. He managed to book a berth to China through ‘Universal Placing’. And, when the State Association passed on the news through his coach the other day, he was obviously overjoyed.
“I am thrilled. It has come at the right time for me. Having sealed a place now, I am going to give it my best shot,” he said.
Speaking to The Hindu he said he has been working hard the past three months to improve upon his Bangkok show.
“He is doing 58m in practise now. With proper training and some right techniques at the camp, I am sure he will sure impress everybody in the big Games,” said Narayanan, who runs the Gold Quest Throws Academy.
“The PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research has been kind enough to allot him a space with sound infrastructure for practise. It is paying rich dividends now. He will be the athlete of the future and probably the next Vikas Gowda [India’s champion discus thrower] for India. He is working hard towards that,” he added.
Standing six-feet three inches, Mithravarun is nicknamed the Robert Harting [World discus champion from Germany] by his coach. “I want him to exhibit such rare skills and get into the world ranking. You may laugh at me, but I see it in his eyes,” said Narayanan.
