A gold, or any medal, could change life of India’s 55kg weightlifter Sanket Sargar

Three-time national champion and gold medallist in the Commonwealth Championships in December last year, the 2022 Commonwealth Games are more than a sports event for weightlifter Sargar, who will be participating in the 55kg category. Still struggling for a stable job, Sargar helps out in his father’s paan shop and food stall in Sangli, Maharashtra, and dreams of the day when he can ask his father to take a break and put his feet up.

“If I can win gold, I am sure recognition will come my way. It is my dream to be able to support my father and show him my gratitude for all that he has done for me,” said Sargar. With the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) already having announced cash rewards for medallists and many state governments expected to follow suit, Sargar’s life could change today. “Yes I am aware of it (the cash award) but one thing I can tell you is that whatever comes my way my ambition won’t change. I want to get better and win an Olympic medal for my country,” Sargar said.

“He is a very hardworking athlete who goes about his job without much fuss,” coach Sharma said before adding, “Unless things go dramatically wrong, I am expecting a gold medal from him.” Sargar, 21 years old, had shattered commonwealth and national record as he lifted 256kg (snatch — 113kg; clean and jerk — 143kg) at the Singapore Weightlifting International in February this year and is determined to break those records here in . “We have put in a lot of work in the last one month that we have been here in Birmingham.

Now is the time to deliver on that,” he concluded. If Sargar does win, multiple job offers will come his way. Rewards will start to pour in and for a period, felicitations won’t stop. But that’s where the problem lies. We react rather than being proactive. We wait for success to acknowledge the talent.

We don’t support athletes when support is most needed. The moot point is if we focus on the process and support athletes in their development phase, there will be many more Sargars ready to win medals. Few will have to work in pan shops and food stalls to support a family and sport could easily become a viable career for everyone.