It was 6 am on a chilly September morning in Kalpetta, the headquarters of Wayanad district and a much-sought-after tourist destination in Kerala. One would expect Thonnakkal Gopi, who has just returned home after a gruelling marathon at the Rio Olympics and a tiring journey, to enjoy his vacation in the comforts of his home.
But it was business as usual for the 28-year-old Olympian, as he put on his running shoes, track suit and T-shirt before heading straight to the ground near his home for a one-hour workout. “I ran 10 kilometres on the gravel surface,” he said, before beginning the interview.
The havaldar with the Indian Army had won many hearts in the country on August 21, the final day of the Rio Olympics, when he finished in a creditable 25th position after competing with 155 runners from 80 nations in the 42.195-kilometre marathon.
A late qualifier for the Olympics (he met the qualification mark during the Mumbai Marathon in January this year), Gopi was expected to finish behind his experienced Army colleagues, Nitendra Singh Rawat and Kheta Ram.
However, Gopi had other plans. He was in the 70th position after 10 kilometres. A steady surge saw him moving up to 55th place at the half-way mark. His conquest to prove a point paid dividends as he increased his pace to be among the best 25 marathon runners in the world, clocking his personal best time of two hours, 15 minutes and 25 seconds. Kheta Ram finished 26th and Nitendra Singh returned home with a poor 84th rank.
Never say die
The morning workout session stands a testimony to Gopi’s dedication to sport. He is not ready to rest on his laurels. Instead, he always sets new goals and strives hard to achieve it. “My next biggest aim is to compete in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.”
It was this resoluteness that helped Gopi meet the Olympic qualification during the Mumbai Marathon. Army coach Surinder Singh had asked Gopi to run 30 kilometres with his team-mates Nitendra Singh and Kheta Ram in Mumbai. As the race progressed, Gopi’s body felt great – so he continued running and completed the tough race in two hours and just over 16 minutes to finish 11th overall and second among Indians. In the process, he entered the record books, won Rs 5,50,000 as prize money and booked a ticket to Rio.
Rio lessons
His heroics in Rio have catapulted Gopi to being India’s best marathon runner. It is indeed a great honour for the athlete, who lived in poverty during his school days. “Rio Olympics gave me a rare opportunity to observe world-class runners from close quarters and learn their methods,” he said.
Though he achieved his personal best time, Gopi said he would have been happy had he shaved at least three minutes from his time. “I had set a target of two hours and 12 minutes. I was on course till the half-way mark as I was running at a pace of 3.08 minutes per kilometre. Though my position improved with every kilometre, I could not continue the initial momentum and it affected my timing.”
Even as he was improving his position, did he harbour any hopes of winning a medal? “No, I was realistic about my chances. My aim at that time was to increase my pace. I think finishing in the top-25 club in a tough field is creditable achievement. It boosts my morale to work hard to try my best in the next Olympics.”
Difficult times
No one knew that Gopi had passed through the most difficult period in his career just three months before the Olympics.
After his stupendous performance in Mumbai, Gopi took part in the South Asian Games in Guwahati and the Asian Cross Country Championship in Bahrain. “[A] tendon injury began to aggravate in Bahrain. It forced me out of action for three months. I couldn’t even attend the training sessions. With the Rio Olympics fast approaching, I feared that I could not realise my Olympics dream.”
He resumed training in May, but struggled to catch up with his Army mates. “Marathon runners should not take rest for more than 15 days during the season. But I was fortunate to regain my form immediately,” he said.
Dream home
Before he begins preparations for major competitions, including the Asian Games, Gopi wants to fulfil a personal dream. “I have cherished a dream to build my own home and live with my parents, Babu and Thankam, who are agricultural labourers. I am planning to begin the work immediately. At present, I am looking for a bank loan.”
Even at the height of popularity, Gopi stays with Vijayi Teacher, who spotted and looked after him, whenever he comes on vacation from Army.
“Had the teacher not noticed me, I wouldn’t have become a sports person. I am indebted to Vijayi Teacher for all my achievements in my life. It is not a teacher-disciple relationship, rather it is mother-son attachment.”
Vijayi Teacher is the most influential person in his life. Quite naturally, he wants to follow her footsteps after the next Olympics. “I want to join National Institute of Sports to do the diploma course in coaching, before training talented boys. I am planning to dedicate my life to sports.”