Cyclist Sreenath Lakshmikanth’s journey to the two silver medals at the lately concluded 37th National Games, Goa, began out of necessity. It began when he started biking to and from faculty, TD School at Thuravoor, Cherthala, in Kerala’s Alappuzha district. He cycled near 10 kilometres a technique, as he couldn’t afford the bus fare. Today, apart from representing Tamil Nadu at National biking occasions, he runs a biking academy, SL7 High Altitude Training Centre in Ooty.
“I am satisfied with the result at this year’s National Games. All my hard work has paid off,” says the 27 12 months previous over the cellphone from Ooty. He received the medals in the Road Race (120 kilometres) and Individual Time Trial (41 kilometres) classes; final 12 months he received a bronze in the Mass Start class. Preparation for the huge races has been all about working hard, “I moved to Palakkad temporarily before this year’s National Games in order to get acclimatised to the heat to be well-prepared for Goa,” he says.
He confesses he didn’t begin out eager to be a cyclist, “I was more interested in ultra endurance running, however I got into cycling in competitions while I was at the Maharaja’s College, Kochi.” He acknowledges the assist from Kochi-based Cochin Bikers Club, and The Bike Store for his or her assist when he began out in the sport.
Sreenath at Scotland for the UK Gran Fondo
| Photo Credit:
Milan Josy
Confidence enhance
Competing at inter-collegiate and college stage occasions and profitable medals had been a lift to his confidence. Following his efficiency at the 2014 State sport’s meet, he was picked for the Kerala group.
Cyclist Milan Josy, his senior on the Kerala group, confirmed him the ropes of coaching for competitions. The subsequent 12 months, in 2015,he received a bronze medal at a State-level competitors, which strengthened his resolve to focus extra on street biking and practice accordingly. His hard work paid off and in 2017, he received a gold at the State meet. The first actual breakthrough for Sreenath got here when he joined Cicolo Team Racing, gaining Naveen John (the present Road Cycling ITT gold medallist at the Goa Games) as mentor and transferring to Bengaluru.
At the UK Gran Fondo
Sreenath participated in the UK’s Gran Fondo Cycling occasion for beginner cyclists held in Scotland in December. A Gran Fondo is a long-distance race with a distance of greater than 120 kilometres. The UK Gran Fondo was 160 kilometres. He spent two months there in preparation, with the intention to get acclimatised. “It is a tough event, as the racing standard is high.” He was amongst the 140 of the 300 members who accomplished the race; he completed at 30 amongst the 70 members in one other occasion there. He calls his efficiency one in every of his finest achievements. Sreenath additionally received a training certificates (street biking) from British Cycling.
“That was the turning point for me as a cyclist. Not only did they train me, but I also got an opportunity to train in Belgium for a month, and the next year, in 2019, for two months. The training style was different, it was more technology-based which monitored your heart rate and speed; it tested the ability of an athlete to perform and get an idea of what endurance is,” says Sreenath. Back dwelling, he understood the work the sport demanded.
He later moved to Life Behind Bars Racing (LBB Racing), a Bengaluru-based bicycle and tools retailer which has a racing membership. Around this time, realisation struck that he had no earnings for himself regardless of competing for 5 years. “I had help from people I knew, who helped upgrade my equipment and travel expenses. But I had no income of my own and I wanted to do something on my own,” he clarifies. An alternative introduced itself in the type of an LBB franchise alternative in Ooty.
Turning level
That was one other turning level which modified the trajectory of his life. He moved to Ooty on March 1, 2020. Almost instantly after the store opened, the nation went right into a pandemic-induced lockdown . “The lockdown transformed my life! Had I stayed at home, in Kerala, my life wouldn’t have changed,” he says.
Since Ooty didn’t have as many restrictions as different locations; actions corresponding to strolling, biking and many others had been allowed. “I like to talk to people, just friendly banter and that led me to my first job as a cycling coach to a seven-year-old girl.” From that one scholar, his college students grew and he was capable of develop a biking group there. It was Sangeetha Jayaram, whom he refers to as a mentor “who is like a mother and supported me immensely”, a trainer at Lawrence School, Ooty, by way of whom he received his first scholar.
National Games silver medallist Sreenath Lakshmikanth
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
In 2020 he represented Kerala in the senior class at the Mumbai National Championship, the place he completed fourth. That was the final time he appeared for Kerala. He has been representing Tamil Nadu since 2021, additionally the 12 months he arrange his SL7 High Altitude Training Centre. “I started training others so that it does not interfere with my training and sport. I can do my best as a coach and athlete.” He coaches college students from throughout the nation, making the sport extra accessible for many who can’t afford overseas coaches.
His dedication to the sport is formed by the time he spent with the nation’s top-notch athletes in the sport corresponding to Naveen John and skilled coaches corresponding to Nigel Smith and his present coach, US cyclist Amber Neben. Not solely does he need medals for the nation at worldwide competitions but additionally assist different riders attain related objectives.
