Riding a success wave in spite of cash crunch
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Malayali cyclists are the best in the country, their supremacy has been proved time and again, yet their careers seem to be hitting a roadblock because of lack of funds and support.
In the last half a dozen years, Kerala has produced numerous talented cyclists including international athlete Mahita Mohan, who won four gold medals in the Jharkhand national games, last year.
However, it is a tedious uphill journey that the Kerala cyclists are involved in. The cost of equipment is so high that most of them are unable to buy a good track cycle, which has halted their entry to the faster lane.
“Kerala has immense cycling talent. But, not much is done for the development of the sport. For unemployed cyclists, it is a treacherous journey to success. Cycling needs serious promotion,” says Mahita.
The Thodupuzha girl, who is looking for a job in the Secretariat, points out it is not easy for anybody without an income to venture into the sport, as there is little support from the authorities.
“My cycling equipment costs Rs 2.5 lakh but at the international level your competitors ride on equipment worth Rs 10-15 lakh. If at all I manage to ride with the equipment I have, it is not a one-time investment,” said Mahita.
Her coach Chandran Chettiar explains further. “A tyre would cost around Rs 5,000 and it will not last for more than two competitions. Most of the employed cyclists I know spend a portion of their earnings on their equipment, which will not benefit both the cyclists and the sport too,” he says.
As Mahita had pointed out, given the lack of help from authorities, if cyclists with jobs can find it tough, imagine the condition of upcoming cyclists such as T.P. Anjitha and V.P. Sona Raj.
Anjitha had won two nationals gold and she hails from a fishing family. She is a student who cannot afford to spend lakhs, just for a cycle.
“Even then, we managed to buy her a cycle worth Rs 90,000 on a loan. Now, she tells us, she needs a costlier one to compete in the higher level so we are helpless,” says Subi, Anjitha’s father.
In the Jharkhand national games, Kerala cyclists won 15 medals including four gold, six silver and five bronze medals.
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