Good show ! But don’t lose the perspective

K DATTA

The has moved on since the August 18- September 2 Asian Games in Indonesia world, but the euphoria of India’s largest haul of 69 medals (15 gold, 24 silver, 30 bronze) continues to linger. Setting a new trend, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will give each gold medal winner Rs. 5 lakh, with silver and bronze medal winners getting Rs.3 lakh and Rs 2 lakh, respectively, the funds coming from the sponsors. The good news, according to IOA secretary Rajeev Mehta, is the practice will continue in future also.
Earlier, the union sports ministry had felicitated the medal winners with cheques of Rs. 40 lakh for gold medal winners, with silver medalists and bronze medalists receiving Rs.20 lakh and Rs.10 lakh, respectively.
Significantly, the track and field athletes won seven gold medals, 10 silvers and two bronzes. Not to be left out of the picture, India’s Army chief, Gen Bipin Rawat pointed out that as many as 11 of the 69 medals medals brought home from the Jakarta/Palembang Games were by members of the Army. They included the young javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, a world class prospect whose throws land promisingly close to the 90-metre mark.
On an optimistic note, the general said, “it was a trailor at the Asian Games – full picture later.” Obviously, he had the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in mind. One must not forget the stirring performances of athletes like 1500 metres runner Jinson Johnson, Manjit Singh (800m), Tajinderpal Singh Toor (shot put) Arpinder Singh (triple jump) and Swapna Burman (women’s heptathlon).
Not to detract from the contentment at the Jakarta/Palembang Games, we should see our performance in the proper perspective. For all the medals won, India stood eighth in the overall medal table, same as at Incheon, South Korea, in 2014, where India sent a contingent of 542 athletes competing in 28 disciplines. In Indonesia, India was represented by a contingent of 570 athletes taking part in 36 disciplines.
Ahead of India at Jakarta/Palembang were countries like China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Uzbekistan. One can sense a new energy in the endeavours of the sports ministry to promote sport, which is now flush with funds. But much remains to be done before India, now a rising economy, can take a more respectable place among leading Asian countries, if not the world.

The greatest marathoner

Eluid Kipchoge Marathon running is growing craze. But the pace set by Eluid Kipchoge at the Berlin Marathon last month is unbelievable. The great Kenyan distance runner, unquestionably the greatest marathoner ever, hadn’t just set a new marathon record; he’d shattered the old one by a minute and 18 seconds, running the fast Berlin course in 2:01:39 last month.
The 33-year-old Kipchoge, who is 5 foot 6 and weighs 115 pounds, had run 26 straight, blazingly fast, 4-minute and 38- second miles. It is unbelievable marathon times like this could be done. It is the ultimate feat.
It's like Usain Bolt running the 100-meter dash in 9.58 seconds.
Seeing the way the world is moving, people have started asking themselves when will someone break the two-minute barrier for the marathon, the world's most exacting test of endurance running.



		EDITOR'S MAIL EDITOR'S COMMENT ECONOMIC SCENARIO ECONOMIC SCENARIO FRANKLY SPEAKING REALPOLITIK CARING FOR THE NEEDY SIGNS OF THE TIMES UNSMART CITIES M.P POLITICS SOUTHERN TRENDS PUNJAB POLITICS WEST BENGAL POLITICS TIBET’S FUTURE 2+2 DEAL Imran’s naya PakIstan ? PAGE FROM HISTORY PAK POWER GAMES GLOBAL AFFAIRS REVIEW HITS & MISSES SPORTS DIARY BOOK BAZAAR BOOK BAZAAR HONOURING THE BRAVE YOGA IN DAILY LIFE ART OF LIVING Issue:October' 2018 Subscribe Now	HITS & MISSES Good show ! But don’t lose the perspective K DATTA The has moved on since the August 18- September 2 Asian Games in Indonesia world, but the euphoria of India’s largest haul of 69 medals (15 gold, 24 silver, 30 bronze) continues to linger. Setting a new trend, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will give each gold medal winner Rs. 5 lakh, with silver and bronze medal winners getting Rs.3 lakh and Rs 2 lakh, respectively, the funds coming from the sponsors. The good news, according to IOA secretary Rajeev Mehta, is the practice will continue in future also. Earlier, the union sports ministry had felicitated the medal winners with cheques of Rs. 40 lakh for gold medal winners, with silver medalists and bronze medalists receiving Rs.20 lakh and Rs.10 lakh, respectively. Significantly, the track and field athletes won seven gold medals, 10 silvers and two bronzes. Not to be left out of the picture, India’s Army chief, Gen Bipin Rawat pointed out that as many as 11 of the 69 medals medals brought home from the Jakarta/Palembang Games were by members of the Army. They included the young javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, a world class prospect whose throws land promisingly close to the 90-metre mark. On an optimistic note, the general said, “it was a trailor at the Asian Games – full picture later.” Obviously, he had the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in mind. One must not forget the stirring performances of athletes like 1500 metres runner Jinson Johnson, Manjit Singh (800m), Tajinderpal Singh Toor (shot put) Arpinder Singh (triple jump) and Swapna Burman (women’s heptathlon). Not to detract from the contentment at the Jakarta/Palembang Games, we should see our performance in the proper perspective. For all the medals won, India stood eighth in the overall medal table, same as at Incheon, South Korea, in 2014, where India sent a contingent of 542 athletes competing in 28 disciplines. In Indonesia, India was represented by a contingent of 570 athletes taking part in 36 disciplines. Ahead of India at Jakarta/Palembang were countries like China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Uzbekistan. One can sense a new energy in the endeavours of the sports ministry to promote sport, which is now flush with funds. But much remains to be done before India, now a rising economy, can take a more respectable place among leading Asian countries, if not the world. The greatest marathoner Eluid Kipchoge Marathon running is growing craze. But the pace set by Eluid Kipchoge at the Berlin Marathon last month is unbelievable. The great Kenyan distance runner, unquestionably the greatest marathoner ever, hadn’t just set a new marathon record; he’d shattered the old one by a minute and 18 seconds, running the fast Berlin course in 2:01:39 last month. The 33-year-old Kipchoge, who is 5 foot 6 and weighs 115 pounds, had run 26 straight, blazingly fast, 4-minute and 38- second miles. It is unbelievable marathon times like this could be done. It is the ultimate feat. It's like Usain Bolt running the 100-meter dash in 9.58 seconds. Seeing the way the world is moving, people have started asking themselves when will someone break the two-minute barrier for the marathon, the world's most exacting test of endurance running.