I did not expect it at all: Gowda

January 25, 2017 11:46 pm | Updated 11:47 pm IST - BANGALORE:

BANGALORE, 12/05/2014: India's ace discus thrower Vikas Gowda at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, in Bangalore on May 12, 2014. Photo: K. Murali Kumar

A pleased Vikas Gowda admitted that Wednesday’s Padma Shri award came as a complete surprise to him. “I did not expect it at all; it caught me off guard,” he told The Hindu from Phoenix, Arizona.

“I’m very happy. I’m proud of the stuff I’ve done in my career. I did it the right way. I’ve been able to compete at the top level consistently. There’s a lot more I could do but I’m proud of what I’ve done.”

Gowda stated that he had left the disappointment of the Rio Olympics behind. “The injury set me back a long way,” the 33-year-old discus thrower said. — Special Correspondent