CHENNAI : The 2012 London Olympics yielded one of the best results for India with six medals across four sports. When the likes of Vijay Kumar and Mary Kom were winning medals for India, little did they knew they were fuelling the dreams of a thirteen-year-old boy from the Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh. For Ram Baboo, who achieved the Paris Olympics men's 20km race qualification standard, clocking a personal best time of 1:20:00 at the Dudinska 50 Meet in Slovakia recently, it all started by watching the London Games.
"When the 2012 Olympics were going on, I was at the Navodaya Vidyalaya in Sonbhadr," Baboo told this daily. "I used to watch and read about it in the newspaper and watch the games on TV. I loved watching the interviews of all the medal winners and all the related stuff. I love watching and reading about the athletes. At the same time, in school, one of the senior students told me that 'studying is not everything', sports is also a good medium. It gave me the boost to choose the sport," he added.
Son of a daily-wage worker, Baboo, initially ran marathons, 10000m and 5000m, but he shifted to 20km race walk due to a knee injury. However, he always had his parents' support no matter what. "My parents are not that educated so they were not that aware of sports. When I left the house for Varanasi where I started practicing, my father was working as a daily wage labourer with earnings of around `3000-4000 per month. He used to send me most of that money. I had to manage the rent, diet, kit and other necessities.
"It was a hard time for all of us as a family. I used to talk to my mother every day and she has been the pillar for me. I had to make a switch to race walking because of a knee injury. When I started doing well in the race walking, I told her if I get more support I will get the medal at the national level. So she started collecting milk from our village to make khoya (a milk-based sweet) and sell it to support me. When I look back, I realise that my life has been full of hardships, but now it feels like I have left that behind me. For now, all the goals I have for myself in the future matter to me. I know, I will have to work hard and with the same dedication for that to happen, and I want to do that for India,"said Baboo, who is aware of the hard work he needs to put in to realise his Olympics dreams.
That dream made him work even during the COVID-19 pandemic as a daily wage worker in road construction under MGNREGA scheme. The pandemic postponed the Asian Games in China and the 25-year-old won a bronze medal in Hangzhou in the 35 km race walk event. More than a cause for celebration, that win serves as a reminder for the athlete of the hardship he had to go through to reach that level. "For me, celebration is secondary. I have learned more from the bad days and the time I spent in bettering myself. Honestly, a podium finish is the only thing that matters. When you win a medal, like the one I won at the Asian Games, it's a reminder of where you started and where you want to reach," said an emotional Baboo.
Even with this qualification, it is not confirmed if Baboo will make it to India's contingent to Paris as a country can send only three athletes in an individual track and field event in the Olympics, and already seven male walkers from the country have breached the mark. Now, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), will have the final say on the matter. This situation is a mixed bag of emotions for Baboo. "I know it is a tricky situation and part of me is a little bit scared about my chances, but I want to focus on how I can improve myself. If that happens and I get to represent India in the Olympics, that is well and good. If it doesn't happen, I will make myself better to try again and again for that chance," he added with a determination-filled voice.
With the Olympics a few months away the race walker is grateful to everyone who has helped him in the journey. "The Government and Federation have supported me well. If it is something smaller, one can probably achieve it by oneself, but you always need a team when your dreams are this big. And I cannot do it all alone, so everyone's support counts. And I have been blessed with everyone's support," he mentioned.
It is not yet confirmed if Baboo will represent India at the Olympics this year or not. However, for an athlete who believes in a journey rather than a destination, it has been an inspirational run so far, which he wants to carry on.