A ticket inspector from Trichy, Tamil Nadu, shattered Asian and national records and came in second place at a world athletics championship in the US. When the Indian 4×400 relay team took second place, they made history. With a time of 2 minutes and 59.05 seconds, Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Amoj Jacob, Muhammed Ajmal Variyathodi, and Rajesh Ramesh came in second. The US won the race in 2 minutes, 58.47 seconds, leaving the team in the dust.
Many aspiring athletes have found inspiration in Rajesh Ramesh’s narrative. Ramesh is a ticket checker at the Trichy train station, and the Covid epidemic nearly put an end to his hopes. Rajesh Ramesh, however, resisted giving up. “From an early age, he has faced many challenges. He enjoyed running and would skip meals and sleep to train. Every day he would wake up early to train,” recalled Ramesh’s mother Thamilchelvi.
After his father passed away, Ramesh’s uncle, Anbalagan, looked after his family. “While he was a student, he won multiple medals. On Saturday, his squad broke a record, but on Sunday, they finished fifth. But generally, we are thrilled and proud that a youngster from Tamil Nadu has made it this far, and I have no doubt that he will win more medals in the future, according to Anbalagan.