New Delhi: Top discus thrower Vikas Gowda Wednesday retired after competing at the highest level for more than 15 years, during which he became the first and only Indian male to win a Commonwealth Games medal in the discipline.
The retirement of the four-time Olympian, who will turn 35, July 5, has not come as a surprise as he has not taken part in any major international event since winning a bronze in the Asian Championships last year in Bhubaneswar.
His retirement was announced by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on its twitter page after Gowda sent the AFI a letter, declaring his intent to call it quits.
The Mysore-born Gowda’s family moved to Maryland, USA just before he turned six. His father Shive was a former athlete and a national coach at the 1988 Olympics. Gowda, who holds the national record of 66.28m (achieved in 2012), is one of the most decorated Indian athlete, having won a gold in the 2013 and 2015 Asian Championships. He also won silver in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and a gold in the 2014 Glasgow CWG. In the Asian Games, he won a bronze in 2010 and a silver in 2014.
He took part in the 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics. Out of the four, he was able to reach the final round only in the 2012 London Games.
AFI President Adille Sumariwalla paid rich tributes to Gowda. “Vikas had a great career and he has been an inspiration for a lot of track and field athletes,” Sumariwalla said.
Pointers
Vikas is the first and only Indian male athlete to win a CWG medal in 2014 Glasgow Games
He won gold medals in the 2013 and 2015 Asian Championships
In the Asian Games, he won a bronze in 2010 and a silver in 2014
Awarded Padma Shri in 2017
After a lot of thinking and consulting, I have decided to retire. I do not want to punish my body anymore and focus on the next phase of my life. It was an honour to represent India and I will forever miss it
Vikas Gowda
