The young man surprised his family members by bagging the gold medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games (CWG). They are hoping he will repeat the magic at the Rio Olympics.
The family of S. Sathish Kumar, weightlifter from Sathuvachari in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, is eagerly looking forward to his performance in the coveted event. The entire neighbourhood of New Street and Atlas Gym where Sathish had his early training are excited about his participation in the Olympics.
The weightlifter’s home speaks volumes of his journey in the last eight years. Medals, trophies and photographs adorn the shelves. “It is a matter of pride and happiness to see my son participating in the Olympics. For us, it is no ordinary achievement … it is the fruit of his hard work,” said his father N. Sivalingam, who is a security staff at VIT University.
His mother Devanai fondly recalls the day Sathish won gold in the CWG held at Glasgow. “I was confident that he would win a medal but did not expect him to bag gold. It was a moment to be cherished,” she said.
Early next week, he will compete in the men’s 77 kg at the Rio Olympics. Sathish’s family and friends are confident that he will put up his best show. “It is going to be a tough competition as Olympics sees the participation of more than 200 countries. He told us he would give his best. He has put in a lot of hard work, and we are confident that he will win a medal,” Mr. Sivalingam, also a weightlifter, said. “History will be made if he wins a medal as no Indian male weightlifter has won a medal in the Olympics so far,” he added.
At Atlas Gym, K. Mahendran, a 1984 Olympian who has known Sathish since his childhood, is confident of the 24-year-old’s performance. “I am confident that he will win a medal. He has already made Vellore and Tamil Nadu proud,” he said.
For the young members of the gym, Sathish is a role model. “I’ve known him for five years and he is a real hard worker. Olympics is a big opportunity and all of us are looking forward to his performance,” said C. Nirmalraj, Sathish’s junior.
With the neighbourhood buzzing with Sathish’s name, his mother said: “It has been one-and-a-half years since he came home. We get to talk to him only for a few minutes. But I know he will give his best as it is the love for the sport that drives him.”
