Athlete battles exhaustion after National meet to win bronze at State School Games

Published: October 30, 2026 11:38 PM IST

Kozhikode: As the 68th Kerala State School Games approaches its end, Thiruvananthapuram leads the chart on the point table closing in on a glorious victory. Despite the efforts, the athletes continue to struggle with the problematic scheduling of the games overlapping with the National Junior Athletics Championships in Chennai.

Rohith E, a student of GV Raja Sports School in Thiruvananthapuram, was contesting in the heptathlon at the National Games. On his return, he had to compete in the triple jump event at the State School Games on the same day of his return.

“We arrived here around noon on the 27th. The long jump was scheduled right after at 4.00 PM. I didn’t even get a bite to eat, went straight out there and qualified. The next evening was the high jump, and I made the cut for that too,” said Rohith.

“Yesterday was the triple jump qualifiers, but with that injury and the pain flaring up again, I took just one jump and called it. I did just enough to qualify and stopped right there.”

Despite the struggles, Rohith managed to bag a bronze medal in the event. He still had to withdraw from the long jump and high jump competitions due to the injury scare caused by limited recovery.

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“Even though I managed to take all six attempts in today’s triple jump final, I couldn’t perform at my absolute best. Since I didn’t have enough time to recover, I had to pull out of my remaining two events, the long jump and high jump,” said the disappointed youngster even after a victorious feat.

Akhil SK, Rohith’s Athletic coach from GV Raja School, stressed the importance of rehab following a high-level competition. “After competing in a combined event, a young athlete needs at least seven days of rest just to recover properly. Pushing them to compete without adequate recovery is a surefire recipe for injury. Their hamstrings are completely drained. There is virtually no downtime for rehab or rest; our athletes are stretched to their limits.”

“While athletes reached the finals and even clinched podium finishes, taking home silver and bronze, we still didn’t see their true potential. Success is measured by pure athletic performance, not merely by collecting medals. Due to this relentless schedule, these students couldn’t hit the standard they are truly capable of.”

“If organisers would provide clear, reliable schedules well in advance, it would make a world of difference for both coaches and athletes. That kind of foresight is the only way these kids can properly prepare and deliver their absolute best,” added the coach.

Rohith aims for bigger ambitions after a medal-winning campaign. “I want to become a professional athlete. From there, my goal is to break into the national team and represent India at the upcoming Asian Games. Winning a medal is my ultimate dream,” said the teenager.