Indias climbing the podium on a regular basis was a rare and pleasant surprise at the recently-concluded Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. Having gotten some much-required push in the last few years in terms of training and exposure, the youngsters recorded India’s best ever performance in the event with 3 gold, 9 silver and 1 bronze. The tally of 13 is greater than India’s combined haul in the first two editions (7 silver, 3 bronze).
Broadly, there are two ways of looking at it. One is a feel-good story that India’s youth development programme is on the right track. Not just in a handful of events like shooting, Indians won medals in seven more disciplines — weightlifting, judo, athletics, badminton, wrestling, hockey and archery. The other one is a reality check. Youth Olympics isn’t necessarily the platform where the world’s best under the age of 18 compete. Singularly the most dominant force in the Olympics, the US for example, finished eighth with just six gold medals. Doing well here does not guarantee a happy future, considering the huge gap between junior and senior standards.
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However, there is no denying that this has been a notable outing, which vindicates the recent shift in policy and investing in youth. Shooting prodigies Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary showed why they are regarded as two of the best talents in the country. Four shooters entered the event and all of them medalled, which is a rare feat.
Crucially, shooters were not the only ones. Weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga, 15, displayed his mettle by winning India’s first-ever gold medal in the brief history of the competition. Sources of medals multiplying is something that makes boxer Akhil Kumar sit up and take notice. “We are building a very encouraging environment. We are developing a strong culture for sport, which is vital to doing well at the highest level. If we manage to get more experts in place, we are not far from being one of the best nations at the world level. We will also see better results at the Olympics,” said the 2006 CWG gold medallist, who has been active in schooling juniors.
If one takes a look at victors in the Youth Games from the past, India’s performance should look encouraging. Cuba’s two-time (2012, 2016) Olympic champion boxer Robeisy Ramirez had used the inaugural Youth Games in Singapore in 2010 as a stepping stone. Many others followed a similar path. Russian fencer Yana Egorian won gold in 2010 and went on to bag two gold medals at Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Marloes Keetels was part of the Netherlands hockey team in 2010. She has over 100 caps for the Oranje and enjoyed success at the elite level.
From an Indian perspective, too, there are examples of athletes doing well at the Youth Games and tasting success at the senior level. After a second-place finish in 2010, boxer Vikas Krishan went on to become an Asian champion and also landed bronze at the World Championships. Shiva Thapa is another boxer who won a World Championship medal after doing well at the junior level. Badminton player HS Prannoy and Yuki Bhambri in tennis are two other Indians who have made a mark at the senior level.
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With the advent of Khelo India School Games, the government and the national federations investing in young talents, it’s tempting to say that a cultural change is taking place in India. It’s not just about cricket any more. So what’s the next logical step for talents like Manu and Jeremy? They are at a tricky stage of their career, given the many examples of talent losing way after a promising start, which show that handling the transition from junior to senior is not an easy task. Seema Antil is an example. Bronze medallist at the junior World Championship, she could not get near those heights at the senior level.
According to Akhil, the youngsters need an environment where they can stay focussed and build on this result. “The main thing is to ensure that the youngsters keep their focus. They have the fire in their belly. We should not let it die out. They need regular counselling. The current lot definitely has the potential to have a long and successful career, provided they keep their focus and get the much-needed guidance from all quarters,” the Olympian said.
Talking about guidance, former national shooting coach Sunny Thomas highlights the role played by the coaches working with juniors. The likes of Jaspal Rana, Suma Shirur and Deepali Deshpande, with the assistance of others, have been the unsung heroes working countless hours behind the scenes. “The coaches themselves are experienced shooters. They have done a wonderful job,” the Dronacharya awardee said, praising the National Rifle Association of India president Raninder Singh’s move to give equal importance to the junior programme. “When he started the junior programme, there were many who were not convinced. Now, we are seeing the results,” Sunny said.
Apart from the Youth Olympics, the exploits of Neeraj Chopra and Hima Das at the junior World Championships are also pointers that something productive is being done somewhere. There is more awareness now. Corporate sponsorship for Olympic sports has increased. For the promise to be fulfilled, it’s a question of sustaining the good work instead of getting carried away by this success.