NEW DELHI: The person who motivated Balwinder Singh for the shot put gold in the eight Asian Track and Field meet on November 15 was none other than Khalid Sulaiman Alkhaldi from Saudi Arabia, who eventually won the silver. “In fact, when I was going for my fifth throw, the Saudi told me that he would cross 18 meters”, said Balwinder.” And when | went determined for my fifth toss which was 18.16 meters and finally got me the gold”, said the stocky 28yearold Sardar who hails from Gurdaspur village in Punjab.
“I always knew I was in the first three but then I was told than there were people here who could cross the 19 meter mark”, said the champion.” It feels great to have won the gold especially when the crowds ‘were not expecting it”, Balwinder went on to say.
Balwinder said he has been training for 11 months for this meet as well as for next year’s Beijing Asian Games.” In fact, 1 could have done 18.50, but my best is yet to come”, said Balwinder.
Balwinder made his debut in the international arena in the 1982 New Delhi Asiad. ‘Then it was a bronze with a 17.44 effort. A year later at the Asian championship in Kuwait, he clinched a sliver with a throw of 16,89. Balwinder won the gold at Jakarta’s ‘Asian meet in 1985 with an effort 17.88. The champion could only get a bronze in the Singapore Asian meet owing to a pulled muscle. That was with a 17.56 throw.
Employed with the Tata Iron and Steel Company, Jamshedpur since 1983 Bal winders father who was in the army was a runner while his brother in the Indian Air Force was also a shot putter. Balwinder was critical of the meet village at Suraj Kund. “I walk about 10’ kilometers every day going up and down to have my breakfast, lunch and dinner”, revealed Balwinder,
“I can’t stay hungry and have to do the walking while the foreign teams are provided with transport to move around”, said the shot putter, speaking about the conditions at the village,
For Sulaiman, the 1776m is his best. “Honestly did not expect to win a medal”, said the huge putter standing at 647.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 24, 1989
