Chasing a long distance dream

From Someshwar village, Baramati (around 80 kms from Pune) to being a National long-distance champion has been a tough journey. There was stiff opposition from his father, Khandu, a farmer. ‘‘He used to say this running business is only good for city folk. You should be running around our farms fetching water from the wells,’’ recalls Lakde.

His ability to last the distance came to the fore once he joined the Army as a 17-year-old. And it has been only three years since he began competing in national and international meets. The Asian Track & Field Championship in Colombo brought catapulted him into national reckoning when he won a bronze medal in the 10,000m race.

‘‘There was a big celebration back home when news about my bronze medal reached my village. My father was garlanded by the villagers,’’ he says. Senior Lakde started believing running paid dividends to villagers too.

Today, when the 26-year-old Lakde called his parents to inform his double success, Khandu had a ready response. ‘‘We had been to Pandharpur (a pilgrimage centre) recently and we had sought blessings for you. It has worked.’’ Father had begun to seek divine intervention for his son’s successes now.

Interstingly, the twin wins here were the only times that Lakde, who trains at that Army Sports Institute (ASI), Pune, had finished first. The successes have also fired a new zeal in him. ‘‘My ambition now is to win a medal at the next Asian Games (to be held in Doha, Qatar in 2006). Even if I die training for that,’’ he roars.