When a Haryana teen tamed an Olympic medalist, almost
When 17-year-old Naveen was travelling from Jind in Haryana to Shillong, he got a call from one of his friends who excitedly informed him he would be facing an Olympic medalist in the 68 kg division of taekwondo. “Wahi woh Afghan jisko YouTube mein dekha hai,” Naveen was told over the phone.
Rohullah Nikpai is a two-time Olympic medalist from Afghanistan, the first and only sportsperson to win a medal at the Games from his country. The name was a tongue-twister for Naveen, so he and his friends, who often watch taekwondo videos, referred to him as ‘the Afghan’.
On Saturday evening, Naveen faced the man whose speed he had admired when watching videos. This was a mismatch, one of the many witnessed across disciplines during these South East Asian Games. The gulf in this particular contest was vast. Naveen, a Class XII student, was participating in his first international competition.
But the boy Nikpai faced was not a nervous wreck. Naveen had nothing to lose. He didn’t endure a sleepless night and instead woke-up well rested and with a clear mind. The young Indian surprised the veteran with his aggression.
Naveen was the first to score a point and by the half-way stage of the second round was leading 4-3. He was to gain four more points in his favour, a tornado kick finding the target and getting him three of them. Naveen was leading 8-3 going into the third and final round.
Home fans, a hundred of them, at the NEIGHRIHMS Indoor Stadium, were on their feet expecting an upset win. Nikpai had hurt his elbow in the previous round and was showing visible signs of discomfort. At the same time, Naveen had his first bout of nerves as he realised that he was two minutes away from beating an Olympic medalist, and one of the biggest names at the SAG.
He was also starting to feel tired. The strategy to go all out had sapped his energy. Yet, he increased the lead to 9-4 with just a minute to go in this semifinal.
However, Nikpai, fighting a battle against the clock, went all out and won five points in a row. Ten seconds were left on the clock when an under pressure Naveen committed two fouls, which resulted in a crucial point being awarded to Nikpai. The decision was contested by the Indian camp but the winner was unchanged.
“It was my lack of experience which cost me a win today. In the final minute, I suddenly realised that I am on the verge of beating a star. Also, I should have countered him better towards the end. I am disappointed that I was so close to beating Nikpai but I am happy that I gave him a good fight,” Naveen said.
The teenager received compliments from the Korean-born Afghanistan coach who said ‘you are a winner’ and Nikpai himself. “Nikpai told me ‘well played, well done.’ It felt nice that he appreciated my performance today,” Naveen said.
Coach Jagdeep Singh downplayed the challenge his ward faced before the semifinal. “I kept telling Naveen that Nikpai was not in form and that he was past his prime. I told him that because I wanted him to relax. Also, as Nikpai is aggressive, I told Naveen to surprise him by going all out from the start. Nikpai is not used to having to defend, especially at this level of competition. It almost worked for us today. I feel that Naveen didn’t commit a foul in the end but today is not a day for controversy but is one to appreciate the way this young boy fought,” Jagdeep said.
Standing in the players’ area after the bout, Naveen had mixed feelings after the loss. The next time Naveen and his friends talk about the Afghan, he will have a first-hand account to narrate.
