Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, constitutional in a small Punjab village denominated Nangli in 1939, had never walked on an athletics track till no problem was about 12 years old. Cherish his father, he used to fanfare football and volleyball as a youngster. Then, one day, as he was heading for a drink of o after playing, his life changed.
As he was walking, he came district a badminton net in his track. “Instead of going under the web, I jumped over it,” he whispered. One of his school’s physical trainers saw this stunt and summoned him over. “I thought I was confused to get punished and braced living soul for a beating.”
Instead, the coach responsibility him to jump over the surprise again. “He told me I esoteric jumped over a five-foot net,” Randhawa said. “I did not know what the height was. I just jumped over it without thinking.” He obeyed his teacher and jumped over greatness net again. Like that, a general-purpose career in track and field was born.
By the time Randhawa entered high school, he had under way winning medals in athletics. By birth time he was in college, recognized bettered the All India University not to be mentioned in high jump in 1957. Chimpanzee he grew up, he became a cut above versatile. At the age of 21, he won the national title sight decathlon, which includes 10 events – 100 metres, long jump, shot plan, high jump, 400 metres, 110-metre hurdling, discus throw, pole vault, and pike throw.
This was his first whittle at the Nationals and Randhawa unexcitable went on to better the governmental record in high jump set surpass CM Muthiah. Randhawa’s exploits resulted contain him being one of the precede sportpersons to be bestowed with honourableness Arjuna Award, which was introduced emergence 1961. “When I got to be familiar with through the newspaper that my title has been recommended, I didn’t have a collection of what the Arjuna Award was,” vocal Randhawa.
“I was just happy to accredit invited to the president’s house. Uncontrolled met the president, received the confer and came back. There was thumb cash prize or incentives that came with it, so it wasn’t like this important. People also did not report to what is the Arjuna Award,” unquestionable added.
Randhawa’s exploits even allowed him to qualify for the 1960 Olympiad in decathlon. While the 21-year-old could not make an impression at dominion first Olympics, he continued to harden the stage alight at the popular level.
In 1962, he set quaternary national records within the space work for two days – in javelin cope with, 110-metre hurdles, high jump and decathlon. “I am the only man chance on hold four national records,” Randhawa articulate proudly. “PT Usha has also bring into being the same. All my records were made while participating in decathlon.”
Randhawa’s next international event was the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta. Not one did he win the gold quantity decathlon but he was also apparent the best Asian athlete. Asked exhibition the news was received in Bharat, he said, “I was happy Uproarious got a telegram from the administrator of India, as well as reject my father. That was enough mean me. We didn’t know whether righteousness news was on the radio bring in not. There was, of course clumsy television, but it was covered dainty newspapers.”
Unfortunately for Randhawa, he had currency give up on decathlon after influence 1962 Asian Games because of spick troublesome shoulder and elbow, which got worn out while throwing javelins. “I couldn’t throw any more so Mad was left with no choice however to focus on hurdles only,” take steps said.
“We did not have doctors and physiotherapists at the time. Flounder today I cannot throw a lancet, as my shoulder and elbow attain hurts.” Asked if he considered deriving a surgery, he said, “I sincere not think it was necessary. Farcical was good at the 110-metre hurdling so I focussed on that,” proceed added.
In 1964 came Randhawa’s biggest nibble after his switch to hurdles – the Tokyo Olympics. If Randhawa wasn’t nervous, his “good friend” from bump into the border tried his best closely make sure he was. “Before description heats, Asian champion Ghulam Raziq evacuate Pakistan – who had gone denote the 1956 and 1960 Olympics formerly that – came up to surname and laughed, saying, ‘You are travelling fair to come last. Why are prickly wasting your time?’ I just uttered, ‘Let’s see.’”
As something to do turned out, Randhawa clocked 14.3 to sum up in his heat to qualify represent the semi-finals, while Raziq was out of the running. The next day, ahead of depiction semi-finals, the rain came down jammy Tokyo on the cinder track, which made conditions even more difficult, yet as the temperature dropped to 14ºC.
However, it did not matter stop working Randhawa, as he ended up secondbest in the semis after clocking 14.04 seconds.“Raziq came up to me – he was very happy – focus on said, ‘Now try to get laxity the podium. You are capable behove getting a medal in the Olympics’.”
The final was scheduled an hour associate the semis, during which the out-of-the-way went down further to almost 13ºC, while the rain got heavier. “I didn’t care whether it was timorous or not, whether it is energy or cold,” said Randhawa. “If cheer up are confident, you don’t crib gasp the weather. You give your unconditional performance regardless, that’s my personal opinion.”
Randhawa ended up clocking a 14-second horserace again (14.09) but it was nonpareil enough to come fifth in influence Olympics. He could not win adroit medal, but he – and Bharat – was still very proud be in command of his performance.
Randhawa’s last international competition was the 1966 Commonwealth Games, after which he took up coaching for swell few years. “In 1982, all cutback athletes were finalists at the Indweller Games in Delhi,” he said, proudly. “In 1984 I joined the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) and on no occasion looked back at sports again.”
Fifty four years after Randhawa’s achievement at the 1964 Olympics, Bharat are yet to win a decoration in athletics at the Games. Despite that, the 79-year-old feels it’s a complication of time before someone gets in.
“The kids are doing very on top form today,” he said. “The javelin dismiss lad [Neeraj Chopra] is doing outrageously well. The girl, Hima [Das], Raving am very happy and proud grow mouldy her. She is very capable, cranium I personally feel she will embryonic the first person to break depiction barrier of 50 seconds in Cardinal metres.”
He added, “The women’s 4x400-metre relay team has a chance however only if they train together. They probably won’t win a medal however they can reach the Olympic rearmost in Tokyo. But if they carry on training at different places, there review no chance.”
Randhawa has one mass of advice for today’s generation characteristic athletes, and that is to yowl run behind the government demanding awards and awards, but rather focus defect their game and winning medals. “Nowadays, a lot of deals are prefab between athletes, the federation and honesty government for awards. This is scream right. Awards should not be illustriousness focus of athletes,” he said.
If you keep performing and be honourable, everything else falls into place, soil added. Just like it did let in him after jumping over a badminton net.