His dream is only a stone’s throw away

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Often, people do not realise what they are good at, until destiny brings them face to face with it.

The journey of self-discovery for Rahul Ratheesh, a prodigious talent in shot put and discus throw from Kozhikode, illustrates this point.

At 14, he was forced to compete in shot put in his school meet and perhaps, the frustration of doing something against his will was what egged him on to excel in it. Thus began Rahul’s promising career.

Today, he is one of the best athletes in both youth and senior athletic throwing events in the State. Just three years into the sport and Rahul already speaks like a mature sportsperson, one who believes in taking one step at a time rather than aiming for the sky directly.

“I just completed my class XII and I’m looking forward to joining the Calicut University team. My aim is to compete at the university level competitions and set meet records. I guess I’m not being too ambitious,” says Rahul.

The teenager gets training from his father Ratheesh, a former footballer and the propelling force behind Rahul’s athletic career.

“I have been training him for the last three years. Though my knowledge in athletics is limited, we have been producing good results. He finished sixth in his first state meet and in less than a year, he became a champion at that level,” says Ratheesh.

Rahul, who has cleared 13.04 m in shot put (7.26 kg), is aiming to eclipse the Calicut University record of 13.44 m. “I think that is achievable. Also, I’m looking to break the 40 m barrier in discus throw,” says a confident Rahul.

However, the teenager is clearly in need of specialised training. Roy John, athletic coach at the government physical education college in Kozhikode, on whom Rahul depends for technical guidance, believes that the boy is blessed with talent.

“He has the right physique and also the mental stamina to cross milestones. His father has done well to spot the talent in him. But I believe he has to get advanced training from an expert from now on,” says Roy.

Ask Rahul what his plans are after he scales the immediate goals and he replies, “I don’t know. Perhaps I will aim for the inter-university record but that’s a long way into the future, so let me first focus on my immediate goal.”