57-year-old ASI’s golden sprint

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 21

Assistant Sub-Inspector Surinderpal Singh Laddi (57) has made the city proud by winning a gold medal in 800m in the the Masters’ Athletics Championship, which recently concluded in Chandigarh.

I was the youngest athlete from Tarn Taran district to represent India at the international level. I’ve never touched non-veg. All one needs is a healthy diet. I avoid eating out, but I don’t have a special diet. I eat what everyone else is eating. —  Surinderpal Singh Laddi, ASI

Laddi was the youngest athlete from the state to finish 1,500m in less than four minutes in the 1980 Indo-Ceylon Games held in Sri Lanka. Laddi had joined the Punjab Police after winning a broze medal in these games.

His records set up in the Police Academy for 5,000m and 10,000m in 1988 still remain intact.

“I was the youngest athlete from Tarn Taran district to represent India at the international level,” he said. When sportspersons depend on supplements and other diets, Laddi claimed that he has never touched non-veg.

“All one needs is a healthy diet. I avoid eating outside, but I do not have a special diet. I eat what everyone else is eating,” he said and added that he hopes to continue participating in athletics for the years to come.

A recipient of ‘Pride of Punjab Police Lifetime Achievement’ award, Laddi said youngsters should shun drugs and social media and focus entirely on sports.

“Sports activities make one mentally and physically fit,” the ASI said.