Sprinter Balakrishnan fed up, quits

New Delhi: Frustration and disenchantment have forced a top United States-based Indian sprinter to quit the sport and concentrate on a more secure and sure way of earning his livelihood. "Survival is important," said Rajeev Balakrishnan.

The Salwan International Athletics meet on Saturday, the final Olympic trials for Indian athletes, signalled the end of the road for ace sprinter Rajeev Balakrishnan.

Although the 4 x 100 metres team had attained the qualification mark, clocking 39.28 seconds at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here, it was disqualified for cutting lanes, with Anand Menzes being the culprit. Balakrishnan also failed to make it to the individual 100m dash.

The United States-based athlete has decided to quit the sport and focus on a settled life as a software engineer. "I like to do athletics. And I have been as much serious as I can afford to be," Balakrishnan, who lives in Redwood City, near San Francisco, said during a chat with India Abroad News Service.

"I resigned from the job in the USA before coming to India. Now, I will have to look for a job as I don't think I am going to try for the next Olympics." Balakrishnan was also part of the 4 x 100 metres relay team at the recent Asian Track and Field Championship in Jakarta that failed to qualify for the Sydney Games, beginning on September 15.

"I don't think I cam improve by living here (in India). There is not much money (in athletics) in India. Also, there are other things, but I cannot disclose them now," Balakrishnan said.

As the 29-year-old talked about his experiences, the disappointment and desperation became ostensive. In fact, Balakrishnan had declared even before the Salwan meet that it was going to be his "last shot" at athletics. "It's either going to be Tiruchi (his wife's home town) or Sydney," he had quipped on the eve of the meet.

Balakrishnan went to the USA in 1990 to study electrical and computer engineering. He returned to India for the first time to participate in the 1994 Pune National Games. At the time, some people had even protested his entry, apparently because Balakrishnan was dubbed as a dark horse.

Born in Burnpur, West Bengal, Balakrishnan's family moved to Nagpur some years ago where he is now settled. After the disappointment in Delhi, Balakrishnan is headed to Tiruchi. He will spend a week with his in-laws before going to Nagpur, where he will discuss about the future course of action.

Roshini, whom Balakrishnan married in March last year, is studying international relations in the United States, where she is in the second year. These days she is in India on a two-month holiday. However, things would have been different had Balakrishnan qualified for the Olympics.

India Abroad News Service