Coimbatore: A 21-year-old triple jumper from Coimbatore, S.N. Mohammed Salahuddin, is the only athlete from Tamil Nadu and south India, chosen to participate in the World University Games for athletics to be held in Gwanghu, South Korea.
He will be part of the nine-member prestigious Indian University athletics team at the World University games which is organised by the International University Sports Federation (FISU.)
A student from a private college at Coimbatore, triple jumper Salahuddin has won Silver at the Federation Cup Senior National championship at Mangalore last month and also clinched gold at the All India Inter-University Athletics championship earlier this year.
Bharathiar University vice-chancellor Prof Dr G. James Pichai has sponsored Rs 1 lakh and 92,000 for the young champ. He is the son of former Asian medalist in triple jump and also current national athletics coach K.S. Mohammed Nizamuddin.
“I started my career at the age of 14 and my father has been a biggest inspiration for me. My dream is to clinch a medal in Olympics as an Indian athlete and would like to create an history in the Indian athletics,” says the young athlete. Both his parents are athletes and have been relentlessly training him up for the last seven years now.
“My dad trains me and my mom she helps me improve my skills. Because of my parents I am here. So everything which I have achieved so far is not me, but my parents”, smiles Salahuddin.
