Alex Arjun sets sights on Tokyo run

Alex Anthony, a 26-year-old track athlete from Pulluvila in Thiruvanathapuram, is all set to represent India in mixed 4x400m relay at the Tokyo Olympics. Hailing from a financially backward family, Alex had to fight many odds to qualify for the Olympics team.

“After training hard for nearly a decade, I was all set to participate in the 2016 Olympics. However, due to an injury, I was taken off from training for more than a year. In 2018, I got the opportunity to join the national camp and my coach, Raj Mohan’s motivation helped me stay in focus,” says Alex, who joined the Indian Air Force in 2014. This year, he was drafted into the Olympic squad after clocking in 47.83 seconds in the National Trials held by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI). “I was distracted during the trials and It’s a dream come true for me to represent India at the Olympics,” adds Alex. 

However, financial struggles continue to be a concern for Alex. Recently, his home at Pulluvila was partially destroyed in a cyclone. “Fortunately, my family is safe. I have applied for a loan to reconstruct the home but the approval hasn’t come yet. Right now I am in Patiala preparing for the Olympics. It seems I will have to get it approved personally, as I had taken another loan previously,” he says. 

Alex began athletics from an early age. “I started practising from class X and attended district and state-level competitions,” he says. The sportsman has made the country proud many times in national and international tournaments, including World Championship, Asian Championship etc, and won many medals.