CHENNAI: India's Olympic contingent has been greeted with umpteen felicitations and ceremonies ever since its return from Tokyo three weeks ago. While Neeraj Chopra has understandably been the toast of the nation after winning gold in javelin throw, the feats of many other athletes are not being ignored either. On a rainy evening at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Friday, it was the turn of Tamil Nadu's athletics contingent in Tokyo to be honoured by the Tamil Nadu Athletics Association. S Barath, who won bronze at the World U20 Athletics Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, was also felicitated alongside fellow juniors M Donald and S Nagarjunan.
While Arokia Rajiv was unable to attend the function due to other commitments, the three TN girls — S Dhanalakshmi, Revathi Veeramani and Subha Venkatesan — part of the Tokyo Games were present. They are still getting used to the adulation that is coming their way.
"All this is very new for me. I have never been used to felicitations like these. I feel very proud and I am feeling the affection of so many people," Dhanalakshmi said on Friday.
The girls will be heading back to the national camp in Patiala in October and are looking forward to getting their focus back on track. Having got a taste of the Olympic stage — Dhanalakshmi's first international competition — the sprinter from Tiruchy is keen on setting her sights higher at the international events scheduled for 2022.
"There is the Asian Games, CWG and World C'ships next year. I definitely want to do better and win a medal for India. The Olympics was my first international competition. It was very exciting. Now that I have got this taste of the Olympics, it will definitely spur me on to achieve something bigger," the 23-year-old explained.
Dhanalakshmi recalls ordeal post return
Even when Dhanalakshmi returned home from Tokyo, it wasn't a particularly easy time for the TN youngster personally. She had lost her elder sister a week before departing for the Games from Patiala but wasn't informed about it by her bereaving mother.
"A week before I was about to leave for Tokyo, my sister passed away. I was in Patiala. My coach, my mother and the entire neighbourhood hid it from me. They did not inform me because they knew that I would return home. I wouldn't have gone to Tokyo for sure if I knew," she explained.
The felicitation was attended by Tamil Nadu's Minister of Youth Welfare and Sports, Meyyanathan Siva V. The TNAA awarded a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh each to all the Olympians and junior Worlds bronze medallist Barath. Donald and Nagarjunan, the other two junior Worlds athletes, got Rs 50,000 each.