India at the Paris Olympics

 Ogle ogles

The mind boggles

The tower of Eiffel

Stands tall

Amid the the shower of medals

Aman, Sreejesh, Bhaker

The Vinesh case was a shocker

Hoping for a Gold were a billion

Stopped short by another Javelin

Wrestling demons real and surreal

Our boys and girls were quite wonderful

India and the Olympics

 India was never a serious contender at the Olympics for many years, except in Hockey. In fact, Sharad Joshi, a poet and humorist, had an act called Olympics, where he described Olympics as an event where Indian teams go, lose and get back. This was satire, but not too far off the mark. That was in the seventies or eighties.

Fortunately, we have a resurgent India, and we believe we can win. Some of our athletes have turned in performances that were world-class. Some won and some did not, but it's important that many came close, and some did win. I remember meeting P.T. Usha at Calicut, who had lost out on a medal by a fraction of a second. She started an academy for athletes, to train them for track and field events. 

The government also has got its act together, and for many events, various official organisations now offer professional coaching or training, to prepare selected competitors over a few years. Mental preparation may also be a part of it. Sindhu produced two medals after many years of being at it, and ups and downs. 

The self-belief is a major part of it, I think. All the best to the likes of Aditi Ashok (golfer who came fourth, but was second till day 3), Neeraj Chopra (Gold in Javelin), and all others who showed the way, and supported them. It can be done!

Cool Runnings- Film Review

A film about the Olympics and Jamaica, that is fun to watch. Made in 1993 or so, it is about a Jamaican sprinter who fails to make it to his country's athletics team due to an accidental tripping during trials. Desperate to go to the Olympics, he is told about an American maverick who lives in Jamica. He is a former Bobsledding champion, and has a theory that sprinters would make good Bobsledders. Never gets to test his theory though, because sprinters aren't convinced.

So our hero begs him to coach him and 3 fellow athletes-a ragtag team of Bobsledders- for the Winter Olympics. Everybody laughs them out, including their Olympic Association Chief, and potential funders, but somehow, they make it to the Olmpics, and compete, in their own unique style.

It's a fun, uplifting movie, and good to watch if you can get hold of it. The typical West Indian spirit comes through unmistakably.

Watching Sindhu at Rio

I watched at least three matches that Sindhu played, and a couple which Kidambi Srikanth won. Mostly because I used to play Badminton as a kid, and like the game. At the Olympics, we Indians get few chances to watch giant-killers. Sindhu is definitely one of those!

Gave me goosebumps to see how she fought a close first game without losing her nerve despite a good game by the Japanese opponent (semi-finals). The second game was amazing, and she just dominated her after the halfway mark where they were tied 10 all. Went on to a 21-10 score, smashing her way through a (now) baffled opponent. Did not seem to have an iota of doubt that she was going to win! The hallmark of a champ.

Confidence in yourself is an amazing thing, whichever way it shows. And she had oodles of it. Wonderful to see an Indian assert herself on a sports field in an individual event. The Gold is a distinct possibility, if she plays the finals like this. Great show, proud to just watch her! Congrats to her coach Gopichand too.

Olympic sized Competitions

We can certainly create some competitions where we will have the Gold for the asking. If nothing else, we can win the Creativity Olympics.

1. Speeches. If you go by speeches made, we leave American Presidential candidates far behind. We have been pretty much making/hearing the same speech for around 70 years, which could be in for a medal, you think?

2. Good intentions. Whatever we may do, our intentions are always good, and cannot be faulted. So, here's another, for good intentions.

3. Inseparability of officials from players. It's hard to say if the players are playing games, or the officials. There are so many of them. Maybe if the officials can compete among themselves, we might win a few gold medals.

4. Media hype. Perfected in cricket, we can create hype about almost anything, and do a few debates after that to continue that through the night. Gold Medal material?

5. Excuses. Not just realted to games, but in all walks of life, we are a Golden Benchmark for excuses. Smart ones, stupid ones, untenable ones, ill-thought and illogical ones. We have them all, and this is a unique attribute we have. We are on a road paved wit Gold; we shouldn't complain.