CHENNAI : Sathish Sivalingam is not one to sit on his laurels. The ace weightlifter, who rose to fame by winning gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, repeated the feat at the 2018 edition in Gold Coast earlier this year. His efforts are not going unnoticed. In a country where cricketers are hired to sell products, the strongman from Vellore recently became brand ambassador of isteel.
In a chat with City Express, Sathish said his next target is the Asian Games, coming up in Indonesia in August. He feels the support he is getting will encourage him to do better. “Any sponsorship or recognition is good for an athlete. It is well known that one cannot survive in the competitive world of sport without support. You need helping hands. Whatever one gets by way of sponsorship or being a brand ambassador, is ploughed back into the game for training and other purposes,” said Sathish.
G Gautam Reddy, the CEO of isteel, is sure they have chosen the right person. “We wanted to associate our brand with a sportsperson from Tamil Nadu and Sathish is the best choice. He is an inspiring personality, given his humble beginnings and the success he has achieved. Sathish Sivalingam stands for strength and flexibility — characteristics that define isteel XLS TMT bars,’’ said Reddy.
Of the two gold medals, the second one is closer to Sathish’s heart. “I just cannot believe I won gold in Australia. Going into the competition after coming back from an injury, I was not sure at the beginning that I would bag gold. Slowly, as it progressed, I grew in confidence. Ultimately, I was glad that I could do it again,” said the 26-year-old.
He will soon start training for the Asian Games. “I am injury free at the moment. I will be training in Patiala. There is time for the Asian Games, so I will focus on fitness and skills,” said Sathish, who went to the last Asian Games in South Korea in 2014, but did not participate due to illness.Expectations will be high this time. “I am aware of that. Winning is not only in my hands, but also in the hands of the Almighty. I can assure one and all that I will give my best and certainly go for gold,’’ said an optimistic Sathish.
Have things got better for weightlifters in Tamil Nadu, thanks to his deeds? “There is a lot of enthusiasm and awareness about the sport now. Fitness levels have gone up due the gym culture. But still, a lot needs to be done. We need to spruce up the facilities at Nehru Stadium and bring them on a par with international standards,’’ opined the employee of Southern Railways.
And what does it take to be a good weightlifter? “One must have parental support. Then a good coach. One must also realise that a good physique will alone not make you a good weightlifter. What is more important is a strong mind, never say die attitude and willpower,’’ signed off Sathish, adding that the 2020 Olympics is too far away to talk about right now.
