BHUBANESWAR 19-Aug-2012 190
Even after 116 years, a medal in Olympic Games remains dream for Odisha. It took the state as long as 100 years to see one of its sportspersons make his/her debut in Modern Olympic Games. Dilip Tirkey, one of the all-time great hockey defenders of the world made it possible in the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Now a Rajya Sabha Membe, Tirkey went on to represent the country in three successive Games but could not win a medal. Inspired by Tirkey, four more tribal hockey players _ Lazrus Barla (2000), Ignace Tirkey (2004, 2012), William Xalxo (2004) and Birendra Lakra (2012) _ from Odisha featured in the biggest sporting show of the earth but only to return empty handed.
Woman sprinter Rachita Mistry (nee Panda) and hurdler Anuradha Biswal became the first two sportspersons to represent Odisha in an individual discipline _ athletics. In the 2000 Sydney Games, Rachita, who was then settled in Mumbai and representing Maharashtra in the National circuit, competed in 100m sprint and 4x100m relay but without success. In case of Anuradha, the Olympic debut turned out to be sad experience as she did not get a chance to compete.
Katulu Ravi Kumar, the unassuming weightlifter from Silky City Berhampur, was the latest and best hope for Odisha to realise the Olympic medal dream in London. But it was a pity that he came a cropper, finishing sixth in the inferior Group B and 15th overall, lifting 136kg in snatch and 167kg in clean and jerk for a total of 303kg in the men`s 69kg category.
It was more disheartening that the performance of the Army lifter turned out to be inferior than that of his 2010 Commonwealth Games (Gold with a record total of 321kg), 2010 Asian Games (fifth position with a total of 311kg) and 2011 Senior Asian Championship (bronze with a total of 306kg).
The reasons for Ravi’s below-per performance were many. To start with high expectations of fans and the media back home put too much pressure on the innocent lifter’s shoulder, which was recovering from injury. Compounding his problem, he could not cope with the climatic change and suffered a bout of fever in London. This was as small but costly mistake, which, however, could have been avoided if the physio, trainer and support staff had been little more careful.
But with Indian hockey team, comprising Odisha’s Ignace Tirkey and Birendra Lakra, finishing 12th and last, losing all its matches in London, weightlifting has emerged as a new sport with medal winning potential in the Olympic Games. Arjuna Awardee Ravi Kumar is only 24 years old and sustained hardwork and perseverance can help him achieve a place on the Olympic podium next time in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).
