BENGALURU: Gagan Satish, a seven-year-old limbo-skating champ in the city will be attempting a Guinness World Record — of crossing 60 bars placed across 110 metres in length and at 9 inches above the ground, at the Orion Mall on February 12.
In limbo skating, an athlete roller skates under horizontally placed obstacles, like rods, without touching them.
Gagan’s previous record was made in 2014 for the India Book of Records, when he covered a distance of 69 metres limbo-skating under 39 cars.
He loves skating, something he has been doing since he was three years old. “My next goal is to cross 100 cars,” he says. “I also want to go to the Olympics.”
Gagan, who unwrapped his first pair of roller skates on his third birthday, was initially rejected by his local club for being too young. But his mother Hema Satish always believed that he would reach great heights seeing his fondness for the sport.
“At three-and-a-half years, he showed so much enthusiasm,” she says. “His body was very flexible and we decided to send him for proper training.”
It was not smooth skating. While practising and training he has hurt himself many times, but he never backs off.
“There’ve been many times, when he hurt his face or legs during training sessions,” says Hema. “But he doesn’t stop till the session is done.”
During such times, it is his confidence that reassures his parents. “His confidence keeps us from worrying,” she says. “He is always enthusiastic about going for practice and attempting records.”
But his attempts at records make his parents nervous. “I was anxious while he was attempting his first record,” says Satish Rajanna. “But I was overjoyed after he succeeded. I feel proud to be father of this extraordinary child. He is very dedicated to the sport.”
Gagan has been featured on several television shows abroad and has received several awards in India and abroad.
Gagan follows a rigorous routine. “He gets up at 5 am and trains from 6 am to 7am. In the evenings also, after coming back from school, he skates out in the street,” says his father.
His coach Yatish Gowda says, “He spends two hours every day on speed training and muscle flexibility.”
Gowda is certain his student will make the record. “I am sure he will achieve it as he did the previous one,” he says. Apart from skating, Gagan also loves dancing. “I am learning western dance,” he says, “and I enjoy it.”