Xavier's enduring saga of success

By S.R. Suryanarayan

CHENNAI, OCT. 11. For ace swimmer Sebastian Xavier some of life's best moments have just unfolded. The most coveted reward any sportsperson in India aspires for, the Arjuna Award, was bestowed on him recently. And now comes the recognition from the Kerala Government, which will decorate its illustrious son with the newly introduced `lifetime achievement award' on Saturday.

No praise can be too high for this persevering swimmer hailing from Edathwa in Kuttanad, known as the rice bowl of Kerala. Nearly 200 medals in a career spanning over a decade, 90 per cent of them gold, in various international and national events.

Yet two years ago at the Kathmandu SAF Games, the world seemed to crash on him when an effort was made by vested interests to foist an unfounded drug case on him. That was the time when he was ruminating over not being considered for the Arjuna Award when someone with lesser credentials had been selected. ``If not for performance in the pool what else should I do,'' he was to lament and then this shock when he was not even tested for the alleged drug intake! It is easy to smear a career with an allegation and for a sportsperson nothing is more heartbreaking than being accused of doping.

Fortunately for Sebastian the accusation did not stick and his enviable record in the pool since he first came into the limelight at the national level in 1988 came to be recognised. The Arjuna award placed in a glass case adorns his living room amidst a grand collection of medals that decorates the wall. He is satisfied that truth still prevails and that good deeds never go unrewarded.

For a man who hails from a humble setting the rise to stardom in his chosen sport had the trappings of a fairy tale. Tenth of the 11 children in the family, Sebastian had no idea that the ponds and streams around his house would mould him into one of India's well known swimmers. ``It is common for any child living in rural Kerala to learn swimming. Like other children I too used to while away time having fun in the waters,'' he said of his early days.

Just 17 years and a student of the St. Aloysius College in Edathwa, luck came in the form of the college's Physical Director, Mr Antony, who foresaw something big for him in swimming and took him under his wing for specialised training. A year later was the first time he entered a swimming pool and as they say, there was no looking back.

The 1989 senior National in Thiruvananthapuram catapulted him past Khazan Singh, the swimming rage then, as he grabbed five gold medals including the newly introduced 50 metre freestyle, which he thereafter made his preserve until last year in Kolkata when T.A. Sujith edged him in a controversial outcome.

``The difference between us was just 0.02 sec. I had touched the pad first but there were officials against me and I knew then that I would be at the receiving end,'' Sebastian recalled. Until then, for 12 years, none could touch him in 50 metres freestyle in which the record (22.89 secs) is still in his name.

Today if he is still motivated to compete the reason is only that none is around to challenge that mark. ``These days I do 24 seconds and I find that is still good enough to keep my supremacy,'' he said reflecting on the current standards. Though he hastened to add that a couple of 17-year-olds in Bangalore look to be closest to rewriting his mark. ``They have been clocking around 24 seconds already and that is a good sign,'' Sebastian said.

Around 32 now and after nearly 15 years in the competitive world of swimming, Sebastian's thirst has ebbed but not to the extent for him to announce his retirement. ``Let me see how far I can go. I will assess myself at the forthcoming National Games and then make a decision,'' he said. However the man, easily recognisable in a crowd for his premature bald head (``I think even nature wanted me to be a swimmer for none of my brothers or my father has gone bald. See the swimmers of today, they keep their pate clean shaven, I did not have to,'' he quipped jocularly) has planned ahead.

Married to well known athlete Molly Chacko, working with Southern Railway, the couple have two lovely kids. Life that way is settled for Sebastian, who also works for Southern Railway, but he has no intention to go back to Kerala.

``I think I can do a satisfying job of nursing young talent in Tamil Nadu and already have had preliminary talks with the Sports Authority on how well it can be done,'' he said. ``With my experience I am confident of raising a champion in Tamil Nadu,'' Sebastian said, as only a well contended champion can. The settings in Tamil Nadu, he feels, are far more congenial than in Kerala to pursue his next dream of producing a champion.

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