VELLORE: Former national-level weightlifter Sivalingam, while commenting on his son Sathish’s gold-medal winning show at Glasgow, said his potential was evident from a young age.
“I started training him before he turned 13. He worked for not less than five hours a day. Sathish had won medals in junior and senior categories in the State, national and Asian-level games,” said Sivalingam, an ex-serviceman, who had won two medals in national-level event.
Sivalingam had always been careful about Sathish’s diet. He never allowed his son to even have coffee, since it has caffeine, considered to be an enhancer.
Sathish was enrolled in the Atlas Weightlifting Training Centre next to his home, where he underwent rigorous training. “Except Sundays, he will not miss a day of training,” said his brother Pradeep Kumar (20).
When asked about the number of medals Sathish had won, his mother Deivanai (41) said they had lost count of it. “He always returns with a medal. Most of them were gold medals,” she said. Sathish studied in the Sathuvachari government school and joined BA History in Abdul Hakeem College in Melvishram. He, however, discontinued his studies in his third year after he got a job in the railways. Sivalingam, who is presently working as a security officer in VIT University, always watches his son training. “Before each competition, my husband advises our son what to do.,” said Deivanai.
Pradeep Kumar, also a weightlifter, said the CWG gold medal and record is a proof of his brother’s passion towards the game.
“Our children won’t return home with bare hands. Sathish has proved it once again,” said Muthu, who trained Sathish over the last few years.