Age cannot stop Coimbatore’s Paramasivam V who at 59 ran to glory bagging three gold medals. And even now, balancing his passion, work and family is just a cakewalk.

On 23rd September Coimbatore District Master Athletic Association in their 36th Annual District Athletic Meet 2018 at Nehru Stadium awarded gold to the athlete for completing 400m in 1.70 seconds, 200m in 31.1 seconds and 100m in 16.2 seconds.

Paramasivam is a living example that age is no barrier to achieve your goals. With the power of passion, perseverance and dedication one can achieve anything.

In a free-wheeling chat with The Covai Post, Paramasivam speaks about his finest hour and his immediate dream.

Q: What was your childhood like?
A: My childhood was very humble and modest. My parents have always been supportive of my decisions. Surprisingly, I was not interested in running. However, I did walk a lot and that helped me with strengthening my stamina. I still run with my grandaughter.

Q: At what age did you find your passion?
A: When I 19 I found my inspiration in PT Usha and started taking to running seriously. I started getting up early at 4 am and just running from Fun Mall to Chitra.

Q: Do you have a special diet?
A: No, I have been eating normal home-cooked food.

Q: Did you have a trainer or a coach?
A: No, I am self-taught. None in my family runs. I trained myself. I pushed myself everyday a little bit more to beat my own record. That was what practice meant to me.

Q: How difficult is it to balance training with the job you have currently?
A: I am hotel manager with Tidel Park handling a team of 10 people. But, I believe in time management. If I have morning shift. I run at night and vice versa. I have never let my family or work suffer because of my passion.

Q: What are the thoughts that you have while running?
A: The only thought I have then is that I need to reach the next level i.e international. This thought helps me to outdo myself.

Q: How do you feel now that you have been recognized and have earned a medal?
A: I am happy. My family is proud of me. Their happiness is my “key to happiness”.

Q: What is your dream?
A: Helping others. I am a family man and attached to my family. My goal is to compete at an international level. I am working towards that.

Q: Has the government helped you leverage your talent?
A: Certainly not. Till now, I have not received any help. There is no help from the government for sportspersons.

Q: What sort of help do you expect from the government?
A: Accommodation and food is taken care of. The government should help with a travel allowance. Flight tickets are expensive. The government should pay for our tickets.