KOCHI: After Bhavani Devi got qualified for the Olympics in 2020, fencing had gained many followers in the country. But by then, Kerala was already boasting several dedicated players in the elegant game. Anoop T S, a prodigy from the state, is gearing up to attend his fourth national championship in Amritsar slated to be held on March 13. But the 21-year-old, despite having won many accolades over the years, is struggling to gather the funds to go to Punjab.
“I have been training for the past eight years. This year, I will be debuting in the senior category. But I don’t even have the money to travel to Amritsar and my family cannot afford it either. Earlier, we only had to pay Rs 1,000 to the Fencing Association of India as the annual registration fee. But this year, they have asked for a one-time registration fee of Rs 10,000. I can’t shell out the full amount at once,” says Anoop.
He says his mother had a health emergency recently and needs assistance with her daily activities. “When I don’t have classes, I stay with her,” says the second-year undergraduate student at the Maharaja’s College. “My father is an auto driver. He is the one who helped me buy my gear and blad. But the pandemic has put him in deep crisis too,” says Anoop
The state fencing association was disbanded a couple of years ago putting many players like Anoop, who don’t have the means to stay updated with advanced expensive gear, in a tricky situation. “The athletes have to bear all the costs to attend camps, games, and even state tournaments. The gear alone costs around Rs 9,000 to Rs 15,000,” he says.
Anoop was introduced to fencing when he was Class VII by his brother Abhijith T S, a handball player. “It takes you at least a year-and-a-half to learn all the movements. Thankfully, with the help of my coaches and the sports hostel authorities, I was able to attend many championships. After winning bronze and silver medals, I hope I will be able to win gold too. However, unless I get funding, I cannot attend the national championship,” says Anoop.
Despite having many responsibilities at home, Anoop trains daily for at least five hours at the sports hostel. “When I am at home, I always exercise on the ground nearby. The state-level camp will start this Wednesday. And if don’t get the funding within a week, I won’t be able to book the tickets for the national championship,” he says.
The registration at the Fencing Association closes at the end of March. Anoop won’t be allowed a slot in the championship unless he is a member. “I can only train well and do my best. The rest is destiny,” says Anoop, who hopes help will find him soon enough.