Thiruvananthapuram 7 August : When Eldhose Paul, a resident of an isolated village in Kerala’s Ernakulam district, won the gold in triple jump in the current Commonwealth Games at Birmingham on Sunday, the residents of the village exuberated with joy. A graduate of Kolenchery school that has produced a number of top-of-the-line Kerala sportsmen, Paul, who is in the Indian Navy and being trained at Bengaluru is a medal-winning athlete for the nation.
Villagers of Kolanchery are celebrating his victory by handing out sweets and popping crackers.They even staged the march with his photo that was enlarged.
The family and friends of his are planning celebrations for after he is back home after his trip to the UK.
Tom Scaria, a close friend of Paul said to people in the media: “It is a great moment.I don’t have a word to express my feelings.It’s been a long and difficult journey for him.All his efforts and suffering have resulted in the victory.He is blessed.”
The Nadapuram village of Nadapuram in the north of Kerala is celebrating the win of Abdulla Aboobacker who won the silver medal in the same sport and was just a tad less of Paul.
Following his win at the Asian Games gold, Abdulla has a road named in honor of his name in the town he lives in.His father, Aboobacker who spoke to media personnel that, “We are extremely happy in Abdulla winning a silver medal for our nation in the triple jump in the Commonwealth Games.”
Nadaparam village panchayat plans to construct an athletics academy in remembrance of Abdulla in his village of birth.
Olympian Anju Bobby George told reporters: “It is a historic moment, and the two Keralites taking the top and second place is a huge accomplishment.We are extremely happy and the winning of these medals is the result of dedication and hard work by the athletes.”
She stated she was pleased that Paul is performing exceptionally well in events that take place overseas, specifically the ninth position he achieved in the most recent World Athletic Championship in the US.George added that exposure of athletes in the World Championship is one of the reasons behind this victory.
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