Winning isn’t everything – but wanting to win is. And winning, even in the context of the Olympic Games, implies the gold medal. Three competitors get on the podium – four in certain sports – which undoubtedly adds to the Olympics’ worldwide appeal as more people get a sense of achievement, but as far as professional sport goes, there can only be one winner.
India had gone into the Paris Olympics with high hopes – of their number of medals reaching double digits. But as the dust settles, they have barely got close to their tally of seven from Tokyo, and still without a gold in the kitty.
Don’t let the cheerleaders on the official broadcasters lull you into false pride. They have a job to influence the narrative in a positive fashion, but the fact remains that even though India may be sending much bigger contingents these days, in many more disciplines than was previously the case, and more athletes make it to the later stages of draws, when push comes to shove and the world’s eyes are upon them, most fail to take the step up.
It all comes down to mentality, as there may not be much to choose between the Indians and their top-level counterparts from around the world. Winning a medal at the Olympics is a huge achievement, which one can tell their grandchildren about, and the joy that is on the faces when someone manages that is seen to be believed. It is a vindication and celebration of everything that an athlete, their coaches, families and the whole support structure have done over a long period of time.
But getting any medal at the Olympics cannot be the height of ambition for anyone who aspires to be the best in the world. The likes of Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps and Carl Lewis never seemed ecstatic after coming second. That’s not what they worked all their life for.
It’s for a reason that the country-wise medal tally is compiled on the basis of gold medals won.
The best sportspersons in the world demand a lot from themselves, and are not happy at being second- or third-best – which silver and bronze medallists essentially are. Their ambition pushes them harder to get the best out of themselves. There are no guarantees in top-level sport, but the chances of success improve considerably if one strives to be the best in the business, rather than just trying to be there or thereabout.
If one misses slightly while aiming at the moon, they may hit a tree, but if one is aiming at the tree to start with, a slight miscalculation may result in shooting someone in the foot.
Vinesh’s exceptional performance
At the Paris Olympics, regardless of the colour of medal they earned, or even going medal-less, three Indian contenders caught the eye for their singular determination to be the best that they could be.
She may have been disqualified before her gold medal bout, but the fire and determination she displayed on the mat make Vinesh Phogat an immensely inspirational figure. She was pitted against the previously-undefeated Yui Susaki in her first bout, and must have known that there was a good chance that even if she lost that fight, she would be in contention for a bronze medal through the repechage route. But Vinesh wanted to be the best, and for that she needed to beat the best. And the Indian found a way to do something that was considered improbable, if not downright impossible, in wrestling.
After the Indian men’s hockey team clinched the bronze after a hard-fought win over Spain, the first thing skipper Harmanpreet Singh uttered was an apology. The inspirational captain, a drag-flicker par excellence, said the team had come to Paris with an eye on the gold medal, and third-place was a cause for relief, not unbridled joy.
It was a nice send-off for incomparable goalkeeper PR Sreejesh but compared to the jumping around and running amok one saw in Tokyo, after India made the Olympic podium after a gap of 41 years, the celebration in the French capital were much more restrained. India knows that there’s hardly any gap in skill and fitness between them and the likes of Germany and the Netherlands and hence, there’s no point in putting a ceiling on their ambition.
The only Indian Olympic gold medallist in athletics, Neeraj Chopra has made a habit of breaking barriers and defying convention. In an event previously dominated by Europeans, Chopra showed what was possible, culminating in a South Asia 1-2 in Paris, led by Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem. Not that the Indian was totally pleased with a silver medal, despite suffering from a groin injury and lacking rhythm all evening on the fast lavender track.
Competing with oneself
As Chopra said, medals are significant, but what he is really after is the perfect throw – which really implies the pursuit of perfection. While that quest is endless, it pushes a sportsperson to be the best version of themselves, and strive to improve themselves, bit by bit, every day. It’s no surprise that he has not finished outside the podium at any competition he has been part of for the last several years. Brought up in a system which treats a third-place finish as a big success, Chopra refused to set a limit to his goals and how far his spear would soar.
At the Olympics, the path to the podium is not equally long. At Paris, a few boxing categories required just two wins to ensure a medal. It’s tempting in a way for any high-quality pugilist, and it may be seen as an easier medal than one in another weight class. But a top-level competitor can’t afford to take the easy way out, if they want to realise their full potential.
The most populous country in the world is far from being a sporting powerhouse. It still revels in making its presence felt on the biggest stage. That explains the often vociferous celebration for bronze medals, and the hard-luck stories put forth for those finishing fourth.
Shooting was touted as a big success story this time, with three podium finishes after two medal-less Olympics. But the hard fact remains that India finished 14th on that table as well. Badminton legend Prakash Padukone faced some heat for pointing at Indians’ perceived inability to step up under Olympic pressure despite the facilities, funds and coaching and logistical support provided. He wants the athletes to take a good hard look at themselves and analyse whether they want it badly enough. But if anything, it’s up to the whole sporting system to see whether it has put a limit to its ambition and becomes satisfied too soon.