Kerala youngster makes a mark in Paris World Games
As a young boy, Yoha Gibin often found himself on the sidelines, watching his mother, Tima K T, sprint across handball courts in Ernakulam. A former player who studied at St Teresa’s College, Tima invariably carried the spirit of the sport into her home.
But it didn’t catch on with young Yoha right away. “I didn’t really care for the game then,” he admits to TNIE. This was in part due to his lack of knowledge about handball and how to play it.
Indeed, back then, handball was something his mother played, and something he occasionally observed. That too, never quite with the same curiosity that he afforded to other sports.
But earlier this month, at just 15, Yoha stood under the spotlight in Paris, scoring five goals in a single international handball match, proudly wearing the India jersey.
As to how this transformation came to be, the youngster, a Class 10 student of Sacred Heart (SH) School in Thevara, credits his days training under his mother. “My twin sister and I used to spend our evenings learning the game from her. She taught us the basics and more,” Yoha says.
This foundation was further bolstered at the SH’s Handball Academy, considered the epicentre of India’s handball ambitions. Indeed, under coach Antony Mathai, Yoha started practising even more seriously.
“I trained twice a day. Mornings and evenings. These sessions, usually with seniors of SH’s college team, who have represented both the state and country in handball tournaments, greatly elevated my game,” Yoha says.
Indeed, Antony, the coach, says as much. He tells TNIE, “Yoha is a very strong player. Having trained under his mother, an established handball player, he has strong foundations in the game and is therefore able to pick up on tactics and play styles quite easily. He has demonstrated his capabilities already — for the school, the district and the state.”
Last year, Yoha represented Ernakulam in two games. Solid performances on both occasions saw him picked to represent Kerala at a national tournament in Hyderabad.
Though the team lost, Yoha’s performance stood out, earning him a call-up to the national side.
“It was two months ago that I learned that I had been picked in the national squad. Everyone was really happy, especially my mother, who is my role model. I’ve been training twice as hard since then,” he says.
On June 29, Yoha boarded the flight to Sweden for his first international outing. There, over a week, the team played five matches. Yoha scored two goals and helped secure two wins for the team.
From there, he travelled to France for the Paris World Games, the largest international event for young athletes aged nine to 19. Here, India competed among 65 teams from 15 countries.
Over six days and five matches, Yoha left his mark by scoring five goals in a single match. “It was a dream week,” Yoha tells TNIE, describing the experience. “My parents are proud. So is my team. To wear the India jersey is indeed a big honour.”
Now, back home, the youngster is already setting new goals and training even harder. “This year, I have the board exams as well. But I don’t want to give up on handball. I will push harder, train smarter and make everyone proud.”
Coach Antony pitches in, “We have much hope for the lad. With consistent practice and persistence, he can go far.”