Fashion conscious Arpinder glows in glory
MUMBAI: Newly crowned Asian Games triple jump champion Arpinder Singh is fashion conscious and the number of his Instagram followers testifies to that. But the image makeover that has delighted him the most is winning over detractors in his village following the Jakarta success.
ENDING A 48-YEAR LONG WAIT AT ASIAN GAMES
Arpinder ended a 48-year wait for an Indian Games champion last month, a tribute to his perseverance despite a string of early failures that drew ridicule from his villagers.
Arpinder tried 100m, 200m, 400m and long jump before settling on triple jump, in which he is now Asia’s best.
“I took to athletics at 12 but I failed in whichever event I tried. My father was very disappointed … it seemed as if I was not destined to be an athlete. Fortunately I met coach DS Bal in Amritsar who asked me to try triple jump,” Arpinder said at a promotional event here on Tuesday.
VILLAGE BOY’S LIFE TRANSFORMED
The Jakarta triumph has transformed the 26-year-old’s life. For all the monetary gains and popularity accrued, Arpinder’s biggest satisfaction is in winning over his villagers.
Arpinder hails from Harsha Chhina village in Amritsar district, barely 20 km from the India-Pakistan border.
His father Jagbir Singh, a retired havildar in the Indian Army, played hockey and kabaddi in his youth and spotted his son’s latent talent in athletics and encouraged him.
But villagers would make fun of the boy.
However, once news of his golden feat reached them, the same detractors made a beeline for his home to congratulate his father.
“People in my village used to tell my father ‘your son won’t do well in life’. When I was practising hard, nobody had anything positive to say, most of them would discourage me. But after my success, they have become my admirers and that is my biggest achievement,” he said.
Arpinder followed his Asian Games gold by winning bronze in the IAAF Continental Cup in Czech Republic — first by an Indian athlete.
EYEING RECORD AT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
He is now eyeing a recordbreaking performance in the 2019 World Championships in Doha.
The first target is to better his personal best of 17.17m, achieved in 2014.
His immediate focus is on the Open Nationals in Bhubanes- war on September 24, for which he is training in Kerala.
“I could have set a record at the Asian Games in Jakarta, but it was too humid and took a toll on me. I could not try going past the mark in the Continental Cup too as I was tired attending function after function following my Asian Games success. Next year though, I am going to make it happen, hopefully,” said Arpinder.
“This year has been really amazing for me. Next year there is Asian Athletics Championships and the World Championships and I hope to do well in these tournaments,” Arpinder concluded.
›I took to athletics at 12 but failed in whichever event I tried. My father was very disappointed … it seemed as if I was not destined to be an athlete.
On failing in various track and field disciplines early in life
› › People in my village But after my success, used to tell my they have become my father ‘your son won’t do admirers and that is my well in life’. biggest achievement.
On being ridiculed in his village On his newfound success