Late starter, fast learner, Eldhose Paul blooms with a triple gold medal in the Commonwealth Games
There are late bloomers and then there is Eldhose Paul. Six years ago, when he was almost 19 years old, he didn’t even compete in the district level triple jump.
As of 2022, triple diving has brought India to the top of the Commonwealth competitions. At around 4:30pm IST on Sunday afternoon, celebrations flared across the country as Paul became the first Indian to win a medal in the triple jump.
Despite what might be called a stormy rise, Eldhose doesn’t think his success came out of nowhere.
“I believe in gradual improvement. There are thousands of little things that I continue to do. All of that linked together to get me where I am. There was no magic spark or big moment that brought me here,” the Kerala athlete said the day before he won the historic gold medal.
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Eldhose’s passion for sports began when he attended a boarding school in sixth grade.
“There were some problems at home and I joined KEMHS Alangad. The gym teacher there was the one who introduced me to sports.”
The 25-year-old didn’t hesitate to admit that he started taking athletics seriously just because he wanted a job.
“I have a feeling that athletics is a way for me to be financially secure,” he said.
Although he started training in high school, his highest level of participation until then was in a few district events.
Realizing the need for better training to further his prospects in the field, Eldhose decided to join Mar Athanasius College, (MAC) Kothamangalam, an athletics center in Kerala.
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But his journey almost broke down on the first hurdle. MAC offers Administration Quota admission to athletes who have won medals at the state or national level.
Since Eldhose did not meet that criteria, he had to attend the selection tests conducted by the Kerala Sports Council which will allocate worthy candidates to different affiliated colleges with scholarships .
Unfortunately for him, the board admitted him to another university. But Eldhose did not take that decision to heart.
“I really want to get into MAC. So I decided to go to Thiruvananthapuram to appeal its decision. By some property, they agreed to my request”.
Another factor that prompted him to move to the state capital, despite knowing the office complexities he would have to deal with, was the attention and appreciation he received from the City of Ouseph. , the MAC’s head athletic trainer who coached Anju Bobby. George.
“When I came to try the MAC, Mr. Ouseph noticed me. I still don’t know what he sees in me, as there have been many other national and state-level winners. It was a huge motivator for me,” he added.
For Ouseph, who was awarded the 2021 Dronacharya Prize, Eldhose’s success was a pleasant surprise. “I noticed his explosiveness and natural talent when he came to audition at the university. I think he jumped about 13m back then. But honestly, I never expected him to reach the heights he has so far. It was all due to his burning desire for success and the discipline with which he operated. “
Eldhose’s restless nature is also what drives him to overcome it. During his freshman year of college (2015), he was judged not to be good enough for the triple jump despite being specially trained for the event.
Just for the sake of participation, he entered the cross country race and pole vault and finished in a reliable fourth place in the following race at the Mahatma Gandhi University meeting.
But in his sophomore year, Eldhose made it to the triple jumper team and won a gold medal at the interscholastic meeting.
The next year he joined the Indian Navy and he went on to win a gold medal at the Service meeting. In 2019 he was selected for the National team for the first time and under the guidance of M Harikrishnan.
“I did feel that my progress improved after I started training under Harikrishnan, sir.”
It wasn’t long before Eldhose achieved the 16m plus continuous jump and began to be recognized as a presence at the national level.
A silver medal finish at the Qosanov Meetup in Kazakhstan earlier this year secured a place at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. At Eugene, he became India’s first men’s triple jumper to qualify. event to the final round of the triple jump, ranked 9th.
Despite all his achievements, Eldhose thought he could pass through his hometown of Ramamangalam unnoticed.
“Only my friends can recognize me. Sports people are not appreciated in my position. I think in Kerala you’re worth nothing in the marriage market if you don’t have a government job,” he added a day before winning the CWG gold medal in Birmingham.
Even in the finals, Eldhose’s body language was never as tall as a champ. He was muted in his celebration, carried on with his routine and never let the pressure take over. Remember, all of this, even though the first hop isn’t good. The pressure never seems to be there.
“I don’t have any superstitions or customs. I believe in science and work hard.”
On Sunday, he also crossed the 17m mark, often considered a defining mark for triple jumpers. For his former coach, Ouseph, this comes as no surprise.
“I have never seen a triple jumper of such short stature jump this far. He is endowed with some special genes and he has put a lot of effort into perfecting them. I’m sure if conditions permit, he will break the 17m mark in the final,” Ouseph said hours before Eldhose broke the 17m mark.
“For me, medals are secondary. My focus has always been on enhancing my personal impact and I think the results will follow,” said the 25-year-old.
The next result saw him create a new personal best of 17.03m to lead the gold-silver table in the event, with Abdulla Aboobacker trailing him at 17.02m.
Eldhose Paul’s prediction of going unnoticed in his homeland certainly won’t come true. There will be nowhere in the southern state of Kerala where the triple jump champion can walk around anonymously.
After all, he flew tricolor high in Birmingham.
