Overcoming disappointment to book an Asian Games berth, Shivpal Singh has charted an unlikely journey

The long-dormant field of Athletics has finally started gaining some traction in India. Fresh blood has helped give rise to many athletic events and has provided a renewed hope for the sport in India. A few events have been particularly active in recent years. The most surprising of them- Javelin Throw. The rise of Javelin throw in India can be attributed to many individual performers. Neeraj Chopra is one of those individuals. Chopra is one of India's brightest prospects in the field of Javelin. He proved that when he won the Commonwealth Gold at Gold Coast. Chopra also holds the National Record for Javelin and is expected to come home with a medal from the Asian Games. The rise of Javelin throw in India can be accredited to many individual performers. Neeraj Chopra is one of those individuals. However, the most significant development in Indian Javelin came when AFI signed Uwe Hohn as the head coach. To say that the German ex-Javelin thrower is a legend of the sport is not enough. Hohn is the only person in history to throw the Javelin over the 100m mark, 104.80m, to be precise.

Out of the limelight, another such individual has been making his mark and is helping the Sport grow.

That individual is Shivpal Singh. Singh, himself, is a Javelin thrower and is considered as one of India's best. Born in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, the Javelin thrower has been consistently performing at the national level. However, long before that, Singh was introduced to this sport by his uncle, who himself had been a national champion.

"I have been into Javelin ever since I was young. My Uncle was in the Navy, and he had played Javelin in his youth. He was good at it, as well, winning national competitions. He was the reason I got into Javelin. Initially, he kept me with him and trained me in Delhi. I cannot thank him enough," says a humble Shivpal Singh in a conversation with The Bridge.

The road to the Asiad

Since then, Shivpal Singh has been trying his luck at Javelin, and it has led to some highs and lows. Singh has done well nationally. However, his most significant break is yet to come, with the Javelin thrower picked in the squad for the upcoming Asian Games. Singh has been waiting for this opportunity for a long while and said that both himself and Chopra can finish on the Podium in Jakarta. "

Our main competition has been out of sorts lately. This gives us a great chance, heading into the competition. I believe that we have it in ourselves to win, not one, but two medals during the Javelin event at the Asian Games," says a confident Singh.

However, for Singh, things have not been easier even after performing well domestically.

The Javelin thrower was previously overlooked by coach Uwe Hohn for the Finland Tour. He is not haunted by the ghosts of the past, however. Instead, the Javelin thrower is very much looking forward to the upcoming Asian Games, and to prove his doubters wrong. A

Personal best throw of 82.28m helped Singh achieve his dream. It was during the Senior National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Guwahati, and Singh bagged a Gold medal along with a spot in the roster for the Asian Games.

The Javelin thrower was previously overlooked by coach Uwe Hohn for the Finland Tour.

The road to Asian Games has been long, however. Singh recalls the disappointments he went through on his way to the continental competition. "I had thrown over 77m in Patiala in 2016. After that, we went to a few different countries for open competitions, hoping to improve our game before the Olympics. However, the results could not improve overseas and I was very disappointed. We had gone outside to be better, but we came back even worse." "I wanted to go out this time as well, to learn and improve. That couldn't happen, however. Maybe I will after the Asian Games, who knows?" says Singh.

Humble Hero

The Javelin thrower was previously overlooked by coach Uwe Hohn for the Finland Tour. As he gets ready to take part in the biggest event of his life, the Javelin thrower is still in touch with his roots and thanks everybody who has helped him reach where he is today. "I could not have been here alone. A lot of people helped me achieve my dream. The Federation helped a lot as well, Dr. Lalit Bhanot in particular. He helped me through a tough time when I had torn my meniscus. It took a toll on me mentally as well. However, Bhanot Sir personally called me and helped me treat my injury. He also helped me when my name was cut from the Open Nationals. I asked for help, and he helped me." "My coaches and my family have always helped me as well. It is because of them, that I have been able to perform as well as I have," says a thankful Singh.

Looking after the little things

Before taking his leave, Singh sends out a message to all the young athletes, hoping to represent India one day. "We often accept our fate over the tiniest of things. This is something that we shouldn't do," says the Javelin thrower. The Javelin thrower also talks about injuries, and why it is important to pay attention to even the slightest ones. "Injuries, for example, are a constant part of a sportsperson's life," Singh continues, "A lot of people give up over injuries. Yes, you should take ample rest in case of an injury but you should not give up." "You can't take them for granted as well. Injuries need to be kept a close eye on. What we usually do is ignore the injury completely, if the pain is bearable. This is very dangerous. An athlete should be smart enough to know when to stop. In order to not overexert themselves." "We grow wiser as we gain experience. But it is important to keep this in mind," Singh says. Shivpal Singh has faced disappointment over his careers. Injuries have troubled him in the past and he has been overlooked as well. However, the Javelin Thrower is not concerned by what came before. He is, however, very excited for what comes next. "I have been waiting for this (Asian Games) for a long, long time. Without a doubt, I am very excited." With that, the Javelin thrower takes his leave.

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