Lords of the rings

But sadly their accomplishment went totally unnoticed in this cricket-centric nation. ‘‘Nobody recognises us. Who cares about gymnastics in this country? If only we would’ve won a medal at Manchester things would’ve changed forever,’’ says 20-year-old Vikas Pandey, India’s No. 1 gymnast.

Leaving Dixit, all four are employed with Central Reserve Police Force as Inspectors. Dixit — who is also the youngest of the lot at 17 — works with Border Security Force as a Sub-Inspector.

Pandey has been a revelation lately and won all the eight gold medals up for grabs in the last edition of National Games held in Punjab. But he saved his best for Manchester Games and came closes to winning a medal.

Pandey had made it to the pommel horse final and 22-year-old Rohit Yadav got through the parallel bars qualifying rounds to enter the final. ‘‘It was the best chance for us but last minute errors cost us the medals,’’ recalls Rohit, who was out of the Indian team for two years (from 1998 to 2000) due to a ligament injury.

All the top five practice at the Allahabad Gymnastics Association Centre in Allahabad and stay together in a special air-conditioned dormitory having a host of features like sauna bath, etc.

‘We’ve been together since almost 10 years now when this centre was launched. Though our families stay in Allahabad we stay in hostel six days a week,’’ says 19-year-old Mayank.

Rohit’s elder brother, 24-year-old Mohit was hooked on to gymnastics at the age of 10. Though cricket runs in their family — father Manmohan Das was a former Ranji Trophy player and cousin Jyoti Yadav represents the Uttar Pardesh team — the Yadav brothers pursued gymnastics because ‘it was their first love’.

‘‘My only dream is to win an Olympic medal,’’ the elder Yadav said. The baby of the Indian team, Abhinav Dixit, believes Indian gymnasts are still 100 years behind their Chinese and Russian counterparts. ‘‘Their standard is very high. We’ve only started 10 years back and results will not come overnight. Our Chinese coach L Izying has done a fine job and I hope we will make our mark soon,’’ he quips.

The Gymnastic Federation of India (GFI) does not have its own fund and has to depend on the grants from the government for its requirement. BS Ojha, the president of GFI admitted there is a lot of interest and talent but no fund. ‘‘In spite of financial problems, we have made it a point to hold the Nationals from the sub-junior level to the seniors every year,’’ he informed.

It has been 16 long years since any Indian gymnast was selected to the Asian Games. The GFI chief feels that after the impressive performance at Manchester, the gymnasts should have been sent for the Asiad. ‘‘We talk of giving our gymnasts international exposure but it is not possible unless they are not sent to participate at the highest level. We sent them for the Commonwealth Games this year and and look how well they did. It was for the very first time that our men qualified for the individual apparatus,’’ said Ojha. India can still hope to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics Games when the World Gymnastics Championship will be held next year at Arrowhead Pond, California.

Going by their previous record — Indians finished at the bottom (42nd) in the last edition of the championship held at Ghent in Belgium in 2001 — it certainly doesn’t promises to be a cakewalk for them. Perhaps, that will also be the last opportunity for the ‘Allahabadis’ to get the tag of famous five.