Chennai: What can deter an octogenarian? Old age, health issues, slowed responses. None of these is an excuse for 83-year-old R. Nambiseshan, a former railway employee, who vouches by athletics for his robust health and swiftness at this age.
His dedication to the sport makes him start his day at 4 am to set off on a 6km run that he claims to completes in 40 minutes. The senior citizen got a railway job when he was 20 due to his excellence in athletics and the awards he won as an athlete since he was a school kid.
To date, he represents the state and the country in various national and international competitions. His disease-free life, and the feeling of still being energetic, he says, comes from running daily. Being an athlete and continuing to be one, even after retirement, he continues to represent India in a number of international and Tamil Nadu in a number of national athletic tournaments.
He began representing the Railways in several divisional, inter-divisional and zonal tournaments. After retiring from the Railways in 1992, he still continued to participate in athletics tournaments.
“In 1961, I represented Tamil Nadu in a marathon that I managed to finish in 3 hours 10 minutes,” he vividly remembers. He has been taking part in the Masters Athletics organized by the Masters Athletics Federation of India (MAFI). “Last year, I won medals at Mysore, and this year, I participated again in the same categories – 800m, 1,500m and 5,000m races,” he added. At the Asian Athletic championship, held in 2011 in Malaysia, he won the 3rd prize in the 800m and 1,500m races and bagged gold for the 7000m race.
Winning medals and tournaments has opened a road of opportunities ahead of him. He has been selected to represent the India in the Asian Masters Athletic Meet which will be held in China during September 2017, but he doesn’t have sponsors.
“Because of no funds, I had earlier given up participation in three more international events,” he said. The octogenarian has earned about 75 medals in the last eight years.
“I feel as energetic as a young guy,” he grins, adding that he would like to be a role model for the younger generations. “People stare at me when they see an old man running down the streets early in the morning. I want people to be inspired,” he said.
“It took a lot of discipline to achieve this,” he added. “I eat pure vegetarian food and avoid alcohol and smoking,” he said. He can be contacted at 9884956452.
