The history of sports in India
dates back to the Vedic era. Physical culture in ancient India was
fed by a powerful fuel--religious rites. There were some
well-defined values like the mantra in the Atharva-Veda,
saying," Duty is in my right hand and the fruits of victory
in my left". In terms of an ideal, these words hold the same
sentiments as the traditional Olympic oath: ".......For the
Honour of my Country and the Glory of Sport." The founders of
the Olympic idea had India very much in mind when they were
deciding on the various disciplines. There is a fascinating link
between Greece and India which stretches back to 975 B.C. The zest
for chariot-racing and wrestling was common to both the countries.In
India, dehvada or the body-way is defined as "one of
the ways to full realisation." In the day and age of the Rig-Veda,
Ramayana and Mahabharata men of stature and
circumstance were expected to be competent in chariot-racing,
archery, horsemanship, military tactics, wrestling,
weight-lifting, swimming and hunting The guru-shishya (teacher-pupil)
relationship has always been an integral part of Indian sport from
time immemorial. Indian sport reached a peak of excellence when
Buddhism held sway here. In Villas Mani Majra,
Tiruvedacharya describes many fascinating games, namely, archery,
equitation, hammer-throwing and chariot-racing. In ManasOlhas
(1135 A.D.), Someshwar writes about bhrashram
(weight-lifting), bhramanshram (walking) and also about Mall-Stambha
(wrestling).It is more than likely that many of today's
Olympic disciplines are sophisticated versions of the games of
strength and speed that flourished in ancient India and Greece.
Chess, wrestling, polo, archery and hockey (possibly a fall-out
from polo) are some of the games believed to have originated in
India.
He’s won nine
Olympic gold medals for the U. S. , holds the record as the only man to capture the gold in the
100-meter, 200-M, long jump, and 4x100-M relay at the same Olympic Games, and also holds the record
as the only man to win the 100-meter twice. He calls Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzy, Magic Johnson and
Joe Montana close friends and is known as a nice guy.
Carl Lewis has been a
member of five Olympic teams, including the 1980 Games, but it wasn’t until the 1984 Games
in Los Angeles that he came into his own, winning the 100-M, 200-M, long jump, and 4 x lOO-M relay.
He continued to create history at the 1988 Games in Seoul, where he won the 100-M and the long jump
for a second time. In 1992 in Barcelona, Carl won the long jump and 4 x lOO-M relay again. Carl
Lewis, the legend, finally finished competing in 1996 in Atlanta where, surprise, surprise, he won
the long jump.
He happens to live right down the street from me, so after
watching the Athens 2004 Olympics I decided to seize the moment and knock on the door of the
greatest Olympian of all time.
I probably looked ridiculous: a complete stranger
in a gray-pleated skirt and school sweatshirt with my name slapped across the front, randomly
knocking on Carl Lewis’ door with note cards and camera in hand. I thought for sure he
would send me packing and laugh at the fact that I actually expected to interview him. Not only did
he agree to the interview, though, he seemed genuinely excited and treated me like a
big-time reporter as he thoughtfully answered each
question.
When did you start track and field? What
got you started?
I started when I was eight. My mother was a teacher
and a’60s feminist, so she wanted to start a track club for girls in my school, and
since I was surrounded by it, I took up running. However, my parents had me in all sorts
of sports.
When you started running, did you realize
that you were going to be great?
No! I was awful when I started! I was
5'5" until the end of tenth grade, but by the time I graduated I was six feet. It was thanks to my
parents that I actually stuck with running. I’m sure I would have quit if it
hadn’t been for them telling me not to
give up.
Who were your main influences growing
up?
My parents, definitely. They were both teachers, so they taught me
discipline, and were always there to support me. My family was and is very close.
Jesse Owens is another influence, too. Not only did I look up to
him athletically, but also it was because of him that I developed a love for history
and politics.
What was your motivation to work so
hard and endure such grueling practices?
Since I had been such a
terrible runner as a kid, always finishing behind the pack, I felt blessed when success began to
come my way. I loved that I wasn’t coming in last!So, I guess my motivation was to stay
at the front, because I knew too well what it was like coming in
last.
What was your proudest
moment?
When my father passed away in 1987 he told me two things:
first, that I should never miss a track meet, no matter what; second, that he was proud of me. That
meant everything to me because my parents had sacrificed so much for my running, and me, and to know
that he was proud of my accomplishments made me proud. I actually buried one of my gold medals with
him.
Is there a particular race where you
really came into your own as an athlete?
The long jump.
Not the
100-M?
No, that’s easy compared to the long jump. The 100-M
gets all the attention because everyone in the world has raced someone else, and so in that sense
the 100-M is the ultimate race because it determines who is the fastest in the world.
But it’s in the long jump that you have to run 60 yards to land on an
eight-inch board, and then go on to jump with your body leaning forward, all while the wind is in
your favor one second, and not the next.
Was it
overwhelming after your first Olympics to come home and be a
huge star?
Yes! It was kind of like the hype around Michael Phelps this
last Olympics. From that first January back home, and then for nine straight months, I was on the
cover of national magazines: Time, Newsweek, GQ, Sports Illustrated, every week. [Carl was the first
person to be on the cover of Time two consecutive
weeks. ]
You’re a legend. Are you
ever worried that someone will come along and snatch your titles?
No.
My time has passed, but you can’t take away what I did. It’s like being
valedictorian, someone will come along the following year and take that title from you, but that
doesn’t change the fact that you were the valedictorian of your year.
I’d actually like to see someone do what I did, because looking back
at it, I had no clue what I was doing. After my first Olympics I was just 23, and it’s
only now, at 43, that I’m beginning to comprehend everything
Idid.
Do you actually watch the Olympics? Attend
them?
Yes, Sydney was the first Olympics that I attended as a
spectator, and Athens. In Athens, though, I didn’t watch much track and field because I
wanted to see sports I’d never watched before. I loved table tennis, and men’s
volleyball. You wouldn’t believe it, those guys are taller than NBA players! But what I
like more than seeing the sports is seeing the different cultures within the sports. Each sport has
its own world; each one has its own legends.
What
did you think of the 2004 Olympics in Athens?
It was the best of all
the Olympics I’ve been to. The location couldn’t have been better, the people
were laid-back and fun, the food was great, and the atmosphere was the best of all the games
I’ve attended. I really enjoyed L. A. and Barcelona, but Athens was by far the best, plus I
was able to appreciate the location even more because I wasn’t
competing.
What do you consider your
greatest achievement?
Longevity. Period. My career started in
’79 and ended with an Olympic gold in ’96. Also, consistency. Throughout my
entire track and field career I stuck with one coach, one manager, one
club.
You ended with an Olympic gold. Did you do
that because you wanted to go out with a bang?
No, I wanted to go
out on my own terms. It was bizarre, though, because once I stepped down off that podium with my
medal, I had no desire to compete. It was
strange.
What are some characteristics of
an Olympian?
Determination, being focused, and being able to get along
with people. Even in running, which is considered an individual sport, it’s important to
get along with others because you have to like and respect your coach - that’s
key.
What thoughts went through your mind before a
race? What did you tell yourself? Did you have any
good-luck charms?
Leading up to the race, I’d go over my race
technique, but once I stepped into the block, I would try to relax and clear my mind so the only
thing I could hear was the gun going off.
While I was actually running, I had to
be aware of what was happening, but I couldn’t let that affect my race. I had to run my
own race.
As far as good luck charms, I didn’t really have any, but I
did wear a new pair of shoes every race. I went through lots of
shoes!
What are your current projects? Do you still
run?
I moved to L. A. in ’99 to pursue acting, and
I’ve been in three films, with one opening this year, “Tournament of
Dreams. ” I’m also in the process of developing a TV series. And I do still run,
especially with my dogs, and I exercise in general because I like staying
active.
What advice would you give
athletes?
Never give up. If I can make it, anyone can. I was supposed
to be a horrible runner, I was supposed to give up, but because my mom was the best liar on earth,
telling me I would grow and that I was good at running, I continued to run. And you know how people
say, “You can be whatever you want to be”? I say you will be whatever you want
to be. You just have to be a leader, not a follower, choose to make a difference, help people, and
you will be whatever you aspire to be.
Sports is one area
where India lags behind even some of the poorest nations in the world.
This despite the huge pool of talented sports person that exists in all
parts of India. At the junior levels, our boys and girls can compete
with the best in the world in almost every sport. However when it comes
to the senior levels, where the actual capabilities of our sports person
are tested, we fail miserably. This shows that it is not the lack of
talent that bogs down our athletes but somewhere along the line, it is
the lack of proper training that lead to their poor performances in the
international arena.
The fact that professional sports person in our country face a lot of
hardships cannot be denied. There are usual problems of lack of
infrastructure and funds, lethargic approach on the part of government
agencies and indifference of the corporate sector in providing
sponsorships. However the fundamental problem lies in the absence of a
sporting culture in India. Sports in India
are considered a secondary and supplementary activity. This explains to
a large extent, the apathy on the part of the government machinery
towards sports. The corporate indifference too stems from the fact that
they are not sure that the sponsorship money will be efficiently used in
promoting the game and for the welfare of the players.
International sports is highly competitive where only the best and the
brightest can hope to reach the top position. Past experience has shown
that the government run organizations like the Sports Authority of India
(SAI) have consistently failed to produce athletes who can compete at
the international level. Hence government should withdraw itself from
the administration and running of sports at the senior levels.
The corporate sector should be encouraged to take full control of the
management of games and training of athletes. This only will ensure
greater accountability on the part of the players and the coaches to
show results. It should restrict its role to promoting sporting
activities at the school and college levels and in providing jobs to
meritorious sports person. It should make all efforts to encourage young
boys and girls to take up sports as a full time profession and not as a
secondary activity.
In
India, dehvada or the body-way is defined as "one of
the ways to full realisation." In the day and age of the Rig-Veda,
Ramayana and Mahabharata men of stature and
circumstance were expected to be competent in chariot-racing,
archery, horsemanship, military tactics, wrestling,
weight-lifting, swimming and hunting
