To the Nationals with Reuben Jacob
The pandemic was a tough time for us all. Although the world is slowly getting back on its feet, and everything seems almost normal now, its effects are still prominent. Regarding it, profession-wise, it was especially hard for athletes (if we are thinking about progressing in the field, not surviving the pandemic). How were athletes supposed to practice their track events or shuttle players supposed to practice shuttle all confined to the spaces of their homes? We all lost motivation at some point during this time, so we can only imagine that athletes did too. Nevertheless, what matters at the end of it all is whether one can step up and continue trying to achieve their goals despite their situations with what little they had available to them and now, making the best use of the gradual freedom we are regaining. Passion for one’s field of specialty-this is what matters.
National level under-19 athlete Reuben Jacob is an embodiment of this passion. His story shows us that devotion to something we love can really pay off. Reuben started running at the young age of 8, and he was trained by his school coach, who would teach a group of students at once, so he had not received any individual attention and had to follow a very general training routine. He loved the sport and worked on himself but did not progress as per the potential he had in him as he did not receive proper guidance. Eventually, he got a coach who guided him specifically as per his needs. This coach pointed out that Reuben had great potential when it came to endurance and stamina and urged him to participate in a 400-meter race. It is clear that his coach’s guidance was accurate as 400-meter races, as it turned out, were Reuben’s specialty. Over time, Reuben has won about sixty-four medals and four trophies, most of which were won in 400-meter races.
When Reuben was in 8th grade, an unfortunate incident took place. He got into an accident on the way back from a trip. He put his hand outside a bus window and the driving situation in India as is, resulted in a bus ramming against Reuben’s hand as it came too close to the other bus. This accident resulted in his arm being shattered in the process- a part of his triceps was cut entirely off, leaving it deformed to date. Although Reuben got the best care available, he was severely injured and could never get back to his physical state from before the accident. He was bedridden for a month, and in a profession like athletics, where every day’s training matters, this was a big step back for him. He had to start from scratch- “it was like a baby learning how to walk,” he said. This broke him down, but he continued to practice, and it took him two years to get back to where he was. He had to start with the most basic exercises and go to lots of physical therapy, and there were times he was in so much pain during practice, but he had to push through it if he wanted to run professionally anytime soon.
After the accident in grade 8, Reuben had been set back quite a bit so he could participate in competitions in school, but it had been a while since he had taken part in any significant event. The next major athletic meet he had was in grade 10. It was one of the most important events that he worked his way to get into as it determined whether or not he could represent in the Nationals under 18. However, he was motivated that he got the opportunity to compete, and he gave it his all-in practice every single day and on the final day. “By God’s grace, I could say that I placed second in that,” Reuben said to me, and that is how he got into nationals.
Having cleared the race was one of Reuben’s happiest moments. Unfortunately, soon after this race, the pandemic struck just when he was trained enough to run for nationals. The first few months of being home quarantined came as a huge surprise, no one was prepared, and the entire country had gone into complete lockdown. For this very reason, for the first two months of the pandemic, Reuben stopped training- the uncertainty in addition to lack of knowledge with respect to how he was to train to run at home. He did not have the space or the equipment to do so. He did his part at home to remain fit by doing basic exercises such as push-ups, crunches, and planks but did not focus on training himself for running particularly. He temporarily lost motivation as his routine was monotonous, and everything was at a standstill. However, eventually, he remembered that he had a target set in his mind- one that he had to achieve, and nothing would hold him back. He had been injured and in much pain before, so he decided that this was nothing. Sure, the uncertainty still did exist, but he had hope and knew that one day everything would get back to the way it was, and when that day came, he wanted to be prepared. This thought helped him regain motivation to train. He said online coaching was held for his rival clubs, but his coach did not see how online coaching would be effective.
The day eventually came when things slowly started to get better. The lockdown was lifted first only in a few areas, then in the entire city, restaurants were opening up, and workplaces were functional again, but the day Cubbon Park opened was a very happy day for this athlete! He had a place- an open area to train again. He started training again- in Cubbon Park, where his coaching was to be held as track stadiums were not open yet. Covid protocols were followed, and the mask was mandatory- but not while running, and Reuben loved this. He ran, and he felt liberated.
After the first wave of the pandemic, his first competition took place in January last year. It was a major event as it involved other athletes state-wide; however, the track’s location was deserted. When asked about the victory that meant the most to him, he said that he had two that stood out, the first being the competition he ran after he broke his arm- the victory of which led him to the nationals and secondly, the competition held in January. When asked why he felt this way, he talked about how challenging the situation was- the track on which he was supposed to train was still under renovation. Because of the situation with respect to the pandemic, there were no laborers to complete it on time. The runners were made to run on an uneven, dusty unclear path. The sand was very fine- the slippery kind, which is rather dangerous for them as it could result in the athletes skidding and losing control of themselves. In addition to this, there was the obvious hindrance of COVID protocols. It was one of the most challenging races he had to run, and winning it made him truly feel a sense of achievement and made him believe that his hard work had finally paid off. This was the moment he was unknowingly practicing for during the pandemic, and he finally had his moment in the sun.
Reuben wanted to take up athletics as a profession- go all the way to run in the Olympics. However, Covid 19 made him double think about his plans regarding this- it was a very mentally and physically taxing time in his life. The politics involved in the sport was another factor that made him reconsider his interest in taking athletics as his profession. The fact that politics was involved even in athletics was somewhat surprising, but as you have it, it is a hindrance prevalent in this area.
Reuben has a goal to win an international medal and represent India in the Olympics. He is still conflicted on whether he wants to take it up as a profession, but running is something he loves, and even if he does not take it up as his job, he will continue to run for as long as he is physically capable. His choosing of a college after the 12th grade was based entirely on whether or not that college encouraged his passion- the course he picked was secondary. CHRIST (Deemed to be University) was one of the places he was initially considering as it is one of the most reputed colleges in India. However, on discovering that the college did not encourage sports and engage in them as much as he would like, he had to reconsider. Finally, after choosing a college, he continues to train to achieve his dream. Things are finally slowly getting back to normal, and they almost feel like they once did- a period before people knew of COVID. Masks are still mandatory in some public spaces, but people are free to do what they want. Reuben has finally gotten back to his regular athletic training, and he has never been more determined to achieve his goals. It is safe to say that athletics will always have a special place in his heart, and nothing can come between him and his goals.
*The above images have not been taken by me but were sent to me by the athlete himself.
