KOCHI: Tributes poured in from former athletes who remembered Nambiar as a visionary coach. The veteran coach’s legacy lives on through P T Usha and the influence he had on other athletes.
“A number of time Nambiar sir told me to train under him. But at that time, the concept of having personal coaches did not really exist in India. But we could see the significance of working closely with a coach with what P T Usha achieved in her career,” said multiple Asian Games gold medallist Shiny Wilson.
“Nambiar sir took great care of her and developed her into a world class athlete. He never coached me personally, but I’ve interacted with him a lot during overseas tours and international meets and he was a visionary,” she said.While it is common to have personal coaches now, Anju Bobby George feels that it was Nambiar who acted as a pathbreaker of sorts.
“We now know the importance of having personal coaches. But Nambiar sir was probably one of the earliest examples of how a personal coach can help an athlete achieve their full potential. He was also the first athletics coach to win the Dronacharya Award which indicates his standing in athletics,” said Anju.
M D Valsamma, who was Usha’s contemporary and competed in the hurdles events, felt Nambiar brought the best out of ‘Payyoli Express’. “Nambiar sir really brought the best out in her and that was his biggest contribution. It (his death) is a big loss,” said Valsamma.