Key moments of the Afro-Asian Games By: Deepak Narayanan & Mufeed M Rizvi November 2, 2003
Hyderabad: Now the city can relax. For two weeks, Hyderabad has been playing the perfect host and we all know how frustrating that can be. People have worked round the clock to make the inaugural Afro-Asian Games a success and they can feel proud once the curtains come down with the glitzy closing ceremony.
As for the action on the field, there were obviously the highs and lows. And importantly, there were some magic priceless moments that will remain etched in the memories forever.
Sunday Mid Day takes a look some of these…
Uppal wins them over...
When Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi play a mixed doubles match in Hyderabad, you’d expect the crowds to get behind them. They did for most part of the first set in the final against Vishal Uppal and Rushmi Chakravarthi — before they found reason to switch sides.
Uppal, at his acrobatic best in the match he and Rushmi lost 6-7, 3-6, won the Hyderabadis over when he ran back and retrieved a Mahesh Bhupathi lob with a hit-on-the-run-between-the-legs shot. The shout of ‘Uppal… Uppal’ was a breath of fresh air after the rather tedious Sania fever.
Not over till the fat lady sings...
IM Vijayan may have thought he was done with international football career when he was substituted after 73 minutes of the final against Uzbekistan.
No such luck.
After the game, Vijayan’s name was picked up by the officials for the random dope test, conducted after every game. As Vijayan gave his urine sample, the media waited and waited for the veteran to get done and attend the post-match briefing. When there was no sign of him, the press corps dispersed to file the day’s reports.
Vijayan, we heard, was stuck in there for two hours, before his bladder finally listened to him!
Medal assured
When they said the field wasn’t strong, we didn’t think it was this weak. There were four events at the Afro-Asian Games where an entry meant a medal because of a shortage of participants.
The men’s team and women’s team tennis events were draws of four. As there is no bronze medal play-off, the losers in the semis were assured of bronze.
Funnier still were the women’s 4x50m swimming relay and the women’s 63kg weight-lifting event, where India won bronze in a three-team field. The medals all count, don’t they!
Who are they trying to fool?
The crowds came in droves to watch the Games. And they screamed and shouted for any Indian in the start list. The real surprise came at the athletics venue.
From the stands nearly empty (the finals were scheduled for later in the day), came the sounds of cheering and hysterical clapping. A small trek around the stands revealed two big speakers, from where a recorded clipping was heard every time an Indian name was announced.
We later realized that was the case at all venues. At least the athletes felt special!
Cricket takes over
The television sets installed at the media centers used to telecast the day’s proceedings at various venues - useful especially for the hacks who find it too tedious going up to the stands. Expectedly though, on days when the India-Australia-New Zealand tri-series matches were being played, the telecast changed to cricket.
The height was the giant screens at the Gacchibowli Athletics Stadium showing a re-run of a previous day’s cricket match even as the day’s events were underway. Does any other sport stand a chance?
Loser in high spirits
When Mohammed Ali Qamar won his first light flyweight bout against Nigeria’s Bilali Wangau he walked backed to his corner well satisfied. But his opponent looked more impressed with his opponent’s victory.
He went up to Qamar and lifted him, carrying him to all four corners of the ring. Was it defeat that affected him, or was Qamar a good striker…
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