Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 7 (BPNS)
After Eldhose Paul, from a remote village in Kerala’s Ernakulam district jumped to gold in triple jump at Birmingham in the UK during the ongoing Common Wealth Games, the village burst into joy. Eldhose Paul who is working with the Indian Navy and being trained at Bengaluru has been a medal hope for the country, but the winning gold jump has led his village and villagers to Cloud Nine.
He jumped 17.03 in his third jump and won the gold. He was a product of Kolenchery school which has brought out several world-class Kerala athletes.
Villagers of Kolanchery are celebrating the victory of Eldhose with distribution of sweets and the bursting of crackers. His family and friends are expecting the arrival of Eldhose Paul for further celebrations. The villagers conducted a victory march carrying a flex board of Eldhose Paul.
Tom Scaria, a close friend of Eldhose Paul while speaking to media persons said, “It is a great moment. I don’t have words to say. It has been an arduous and tough journey for him and all his sweat and pain have fructified in this victory. He has been blessed.”
The discreet village in Nadapuram in North Kerala is also celebrating the victory of Abdulla Aboobacker in the triple jump at the CWGs. Abdulla secured silver finishing at 17.02 metres after Eldhose Abdulla.
After winning Asian games gold, Abdulla has a road named after him in his village. His father Aboobacker while speaking to media persons said, “We are extremely happy in Abdulla winning a silver for the country in the triple jump at the Common Wealth Games.”
Nadaparuam Village panchayath is planning to build an athletic academy as a tribute to Abdulla in his home village.
Olympian Anju Bobby George while speaking to media persons said, “It is a historic moment and both Keralites winning the first and second places is a great achievement. Really happy and winning these medals is a result of hard work by these athletes.”
She said that Eldhose has been performing extremely well in competitions that are taking place abroad and was referring to the ninth place that he reached in the recently held World Athletic Championship in the United States. Anju said that the exposure to the athletes at the World Championship is one of the reasons for this victory.
