Selva Prabhu Thirumaran: With a bronze medal in his bag after achieving a double podium for India with compatriot Praveen Chithravel, triple jumper Selva Prabhu Thirumaran is looking forward to more international success with the Asian Games and Olympics as his target.National record holder Praveen Chithravel clinched the silver medal while rising star Selva Prabhu Thirumaran secured bronze in a high-quality final in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Saturday.
Praveen, who had narrowly missed a medal by just three centimetres at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, finally earned his long-awaited podium finish with a best leap of 16.58m, while Selva produced a season’s best effort of 16.52m to ensure two Indian flags were raised during the medal ceremony.
Speaking after his son Selva Prabhu won the bronze medal, his father, Thirumaran, said he had expected his son to cross the 17-metre mark in the triple jump final on Saturday. “I am extremely happy that my son has won the bronze medal. I was expecting him to win the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. But the conditions there were very difficult, so he couldn’t perform to his full potential.
“This morning, when I spoke to him, I told him he would cross 17 metres. But the changing weather conditions affected his performance. Still, we are very happy with this medal. Our entire family and relatives are overjoyed. I can’t even describe how happy we are,” Thirumaran said.
With bronze in his bag, Selva Prabhu and his family are looking forward to the upcoming Asian Games in Japan next month.
Speaking about the upcoming Asian competition, Thirumaran said: “He’s only 21 years old and has a bright future ahead. If both the Central and State Governments continue to support him well, he can definitely win an Olympic medal. He will also win the gold medal at the upcoming Asian competition. It’s just two months away, and he has already been selected for it. The event will be held in Japan, and I’m confident he’ll win gold there.”
On the support he has received, he added: “He has received good training and strong support from both the Central and State Governments. Even when he was studying in school, the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) supported him well. He stayed in the hostel and studied there until Class 12.”
Thirumaran further said, “He is currently studying at the University of Kansas in the United States, where he also trains. He is also associated with JSW, where he continues his training. The government has been supporting him well.”
When asked about both the silver and bronze medals in the men’s triple jump being won by athletes from Tamil Nadu, he responded: “It is a matter of immense pride. I’m very happy! Both athletes are training under JSW.”
Highlighting his son’s achievements, Thirumaran said: “He has now won two international medals. Overall, he has won six international medals. In the NCAA championships held in the United States, he has won four medals in total. Most recently, he won the outdoor gold medal there with a jump of over 17.5 metres.”
“We come from a farming family, and farming is all we could do to support him. Going forward, we need continued support from the Tamil Nadu Government and the Central Government. If they continue to support him with sports nutrition, accommodation, training, and everything else he needs, he will bring great honour to the Tamil Nadu Government. The government has supported him well so far, and if that support continues to grow, he will achieve even greater success,” he said.
Article Source: IANS
