For 30-year-old M. Manikanda Raj, who emerged as Indian Railways’ fastest athlete by winning the 100m clocking 10.90s at Tiruchi recently, the knee injury in 2015 and a doping scandal (not involving him) in 2014 are the distressing episodes that hampered his prospects.
Though he is deriving solace from his consistent podium finishes in Indian Railway and Open meets, he still ponders over the missed opportunities, especially at the international meets.
The announcement of scrapping the 4x100 relay team for 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games owing to an athlete’s involvement in dope scandal came as shocker to Manikanda, who was felicitated the day before in Vijayawada for his selection.
The athlete swallowed the bitter pill and continued to sweat it out but the knee surgery following a freak accident in 2015 while training atop Kanaka Durga Temple has not only slowed down his on-track momentum but also affected his dreams.
“Doctors and coaches advised me not to put extra pressure on the operated left leg. I know my best was over,” he said.
The determined athlete is continuing his training stints at Chennai and Vijayawada. “I am training at Chennai’s Nehru Stadium because there is no synthetic track in Vijayawada,” the athlete said.
Manikanda felt that it was because of his poor planning that he could not train properly under quality coaches during his formative days at Chennai.
“Now I can’t go to qualified coaches as it will take time for them to understand and analyse my performances before making the corrective measures. I am left with two years and my goal is to achieve a slot in the 2018 Asian Games and Commonwealth Games 4x100 relay teams,” he said.
The senior Train Ticket Examiner, who works at Vijayawada Station, is a contended athlete for at least he carries a legacy as the fastest man of Indian Railways for eight years. “The 330-day special casual leave granted by Railway Board has come handy for me to train hard.”
Manikanda represented India in the South Asian Federation Games at Dhaka and Asian Grand Prix at Bangkok. He also took part in the Asian Indoor athletic meet at Vietnam and a couple of Asian athletic championships.
“The present 100m field is full of talented young athletes with more power to their legs. It will be a Herculean task to compete with them but I want to end my career with a flourish by making a cut to the Asian and Commonwealth Games contingents,” said the athlete, who will be taking part in the Open athletic meet at Chennai in September.
