The Commonwealth Games 2022 are currently going on in Birmingham.
The Drama is unscripted, but intense. There is no one hero, or one writer or a block-buster director. But the show is sensational, nail biting and exhilarating!
Yesterday, on the 31st—the 73kg division Men’s weightlifting contest was on at night. To say that it was thrilling, and gripping would be an under-statement. The Canadian—Shad Darsigny who finished third is the son of a twice-Olympian weightlifter, while his sister, a weightlifter too, won a bronze in Women’s weightlifting just a day before in CWG 2022. In short, he came from a proficient family of weightlifters and represented a country which must have showered abundant resources on him as well. This background was in contrast with the background of Achinta Sheuli –the 20-year-old Indian who won the gold medal in that category. He is the son of a poor zari-weaver father (whose last wish this son fulfilled), with no resources, facilities, and professional sporting background whatsoever; and no abundance of anything but passion. Prior to lifting a sensational 313kg overall for a Games record in the category, this young boy supported his family by doing stitching/embroidering work and other odd jobs.
Intriguing, isn’t it? The privileged one won the bronze and the one without any privileges at all and in fact, with a life full of painful struggles to fuel him—won the gold.
It is not to say that all those coming with a solid backing and a strong/affluent background have to struggle less or shed less sweat or that their stories aren’t full of emotions and efforts. Every person participating in such games with high stakes and representing his or her nation—has a story to tell and an interesting one at that!
In every round; every contest; every game in every category and in every sport—there are always endless stories of courage, valor, passion, struggle, pain, success and self-actualization.
And, not only do all the players come with stirring stories to tell, but also do the coaches, the therapists, and everyone involved in the support teams or teams of volunteers or the entire squad of organizers! The baskets are simply full for everyone, to take or to add. Everyone has a lot to learn and a lot more to tell…
Such story-telling sessions, which no one has deliberately created or written—teach us the most! There is no classroom here, and not a word of lecturing whatsoever, and yet if one just watches the games and/or listens to the commentaries—one can learn more than one can learn in years in a classroom.
A day earlier, on Saturday—the 30th, 21-year-old Sanket Sargar won a silver medal for India in weightlifting. His demeanor; his attitude when he got injured and how he still went for the final lift—simply brought tears to the eyes. He is the son of a father who sells ‘paan’ and tea on a road-side stall in Sangli, Maharashtra.
Every season of Commonwealth or Asian or Olympic games, brings with it the best possible story-telling sessions, spanning over days at a stretch. And there is no scriptwriter or an actor or actress performing for money! Neither is there a director steering it all! The stories just unfold; the drama happens. The real-life ‘stars’ gather and they perform from the core of their being and put forward all that they can possibly muster within themselves. In no televised-drama, are tears of joy and those of pain shed in such magnitude and with such intensity.
Am sure, many others like me, are moved beyond words—every time such sporting events are on!
There are still a couple of days to go, before the games conclude. A terrific opportunity this is, to teach ourselves and our kids some mammoth lessons in all possible areas…
The battles will get fiercer; the rewards sweeter; the anguish of the unsuccessful efforts harder; the camaraderie and the team-work better and the lessons for us all—ENORMOUS!!!
……………………………
Life etc. with Navniit 
👏👏⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Rashmi, thank you so much for the appreciation! Every time I see these world games, I sit glued and speechless before the screen. I recall how much in awe I was during the last Paralympics. I felt I had learnt more than I could have learnt after reading dozens of books!
By the way, yesterday I came to know of this small country—Nauru. Nauru is the third smallest country in the world but boasts a proud Commonwealth Games record that many larger nations would envy.
Only the Vatican City and Monaco are smaller than this Pacific island, meaning it is the smallest nation in the Commonwealth, and you can circumnavigate by car in just 25 minutes.
With only around 10,000 people you would not expect a place like this to pull up many trees on the sporting stage.
Nauru has, however, won at least one medal at every Commonwealth Games it has entered since it first appeared in Auckland in 1990. Yesterday, saw their weightlifter trying his best to win for his country and was left speechless.
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Thank you Varuna! Even today, the grit and the story of Ajay Singh brought tears… All of them–from countries big or small, are surpassing their own selves and their capabilities, to see their country’s flag being raised and national anthem played. When commentators tell their stories, or even when one closely observes their reactions and those of their coaches, after every failed or successful attempt– one is simply stirred beyond words. Even the Pakistani wrestler Haider Ali who finished 5th in the 81kg event went much beyond what he could endure and his resolve to get one medal for his country pierced my heart.
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Correction to my comment example of INDIAN GEM
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Fantastic writing, I got tears whilst reading though I didn’t watch the game. The writer of these articles is also one such example of Indian Jems!
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wonderfully worded. Yes, this year has been gripping especially in the weight lifting category. Their stories are like pearls of courage under the dust.
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