It was unprecedented. A rustic, rural sport like wrestling being greeted with thunderous applause, with thousands of spectators cheering their grapplers at the top of their voices, is unheard of in a country where cricket is a religion.
But then came Sushil Kumar, humility personified, who breathed life into the sport by winning bronze at the Beijing Olympics and kept it in the limelight by winning a string of events, including gold at the World Championships just before the Commonwealth Games.
And finally, he kept his world No 1 tag intact when he defeated Heinrich Barnes of South Africa in the men’s 66kg freestyle category at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex to clinch the Commonwealth Games gold.
So it was not much of a surprise when sportspersons from across the participating countries voted the Najafgarh grappler the most popular athlete of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in a poll run by Village News.
Grounded despite the fame
It was not just his wrestling that earned him this distinction from his fellow athletes. It also had to do with the way he conducted himself throughout his stay at the Village. His stature as a wrestler is unquestioned, while his behaviour as a soft-spoken athlete is something to be revered.
“He is a great wrestler and a fantastic guy. Even after achieving so much, he keeps himself so grounded. See, he is obliging one and all with autographs and photos. We have never seen a frown on his face. He is getting the kind of attention that is reserved only for the cricket stars of our country, but success hasn’t gone to his head. That’s the best thing about him,” was how most of the Indian contingent described India’s new poster boy.
And athletes from other countries, too, voted for the Indian champion in large numbers.
“He is the world champion and still so modest. I like his style and his way of wrestling. The man is such a hard worker and I hope God will take him places,” said Gene Kapaufs, an Australian wrestler.
Muhammad Inam, the gold medallist from Pakistan, agreed. “He is such a great wrestler. He is an inspiring figure and the best thing about him is his modesty. He is always ready with a smile. He was so happy the day I won the gold, even though I defeated an Indian. He was happy for me. He also talks to us about wrestling and we learn a lot from him,” said the Pakistani wrestler.
Other favourites
Although there was not much competition for the Indian grappler, others also won votes from their fellow athletes. Cyprus shooter Georgios Achilleos mustered a lot of support from fellow competitors at the shooting ranges. “We will vote for Georgios Achilleos, the champion shooter from Cyprus. We like the way he focuses at the shooting range. He is a fighter and a gentleman,” said Clive Farrugia and Nathan Lee Xlurob, shooters from Malta.
For England’s Ali Jawad, nobody came close to Danielle Brown, the ace archer from England. “She is the best archer in the world and, more than anything else, she is also my girlfriend, so don’t you think she should be my favourite?” said Ali.
The likes of Sania Mirza, Rajpal Singh and Vijender Singh also received a number of votes from all quarters. For Gabrella Duclos of Canada, Sania should have been voted the most popular athlete, as she is so fabulous on and off the court. “She looks so attractive on the court while playing. She is also winning, so we have to like her,” said Gabrella.
Courtesy: Village News
By Rakesh Jha and Rohit Sakunia
Indian Sports News
