BHUBANESWAR: With stiff eyebrows and a twirled up handlebar moustache, Arpinder Singh always looks as if he is angry about something. It’s only when he starts talking does one realise how down to earth the triple jumper is. The Asian Games gold medallist is the biggest star at the ongoing National Open Athletics Championship. But he does not have the slightest of attitude.
Once established, it is common for athletes to hire PR agencies to take care of their commitments and social media activities so that they can concentrate on the sport. But Arpinder handles these things on his own. He feels everybody should enjoy life and work hard at the same time.
Off the track, the 25-year-old keeps himself busy with social media. Scrolling through his Instagram page, it becomes evident that he is quite a fanatic. #bobstyle is a common tag in almost all of his posts. “I have a thing for social media and Instagram in particular. I like clicking photos and there isn’t much to do in Thiruvananthapuram. Saturday evening and Sundays are usually for rest. When free, I do some photo shoots. When I was training in London, people used to say that I have a certain style. And my nickname is Bobby. That’s why I keep using #bobstyle. But it’s not like I am into modelling. Although If I get a chance, I will take it.”
Fun apart, social media is a tool for communication. At the IAAF Continental Cup, where he became the first Indian to win a medal, he got a chance to interact with Christian Taylor, the reigning Olympic and world champ. “I spoke to Taylor, we connected using Instagram. When I put up a photo of mine from the inter-state championship, he commented on it. It was a big motivation. Instagram has helped me connect with people.”
Arpinder also learnt an important lesson from Taylor. “Watching him I learnt how to remain humble. There were kids approaching him for photos during training and he was obliging. That was nice to see.”
Arpinder’s coach Jayakumar says he is one of the most humble athletes. “Usually, when people win, they tend to change. He is different. If I tell him he is doing something wrong, he tries and corrects himself,” he said.
At next year’s World Championship, hopes will be high on Arpinder. He has no plans to change his routine and feels training under Jayakumar in Thiruvananthapuram is the way to go. “When you are jumping 17.10 or 17.20, you will be in the top eight, but that’s not enough to win medals. I look at videos of the best jumpers and try to understand what they are doing. Jayakumar sir is the best person to help me out. I am going to train there for a while because there is no distraction. In Patiala, there are lots of family functions. I do miss my family. But you need to be clear on what you want to do. Focus and work towards it.”