Shashi Bhushan Singh displays his gold medal after winning the under-18 boys’ 1,500m in record time. (below) Back on the practice track a day after the victory. Pictures by Bhubaneswarananda Haldar

Shashi Bhushan Singh is eagerly waiting for the film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag to release. Not because he is a Farhan Akhtar fan, but because, like the subject of the film Milkha Singh, he is a runner himself. “It would be great to see a film on the life of a long-distance runner,” he says. The Class XII student of Kendriya Vidyalaya 1 has set a new record for the under-18 boys’ 1,500m last Friday at the 63rd West Bengal State Athletic Meet on the SAI tracks in Salt Lake.

“The existing Bengal record for the last eight years was 4.05 min. Shashi has set a new record of 4.03:50 minutes,” announced physical education teacher Anup Kumar Paul, who supervises the sports events at KV 1, about the school’s brightest hope in athletics.

The 17-year-old won so comfortably that while he was breasting the finishing tape his nearest competitor was 180m behind him. Surprisingly, he is not happy at that. “I have clocked 3.58 min during practice. When I ran with seniors at the inter-district meet in March I got a gold clocking 4.02 min. If I had stiff competition here I could have shaved off a few more seconds from the time,” he rues.

Shashi’s talent had been spotted by the sports teacher in his school in Hyderabad where he used to stay with his uncle till a year-and-half ago. “I used to play football then. My teacher asked me to try out athletics. I got a gold in the first contest I took part in.”

Since then, Shashi has taken part in four open national meets and broke his own record for three consecutive years at the inter-Kendriya Vidyalaya Games. “The competition is tougher in the open games.”

It is to test his capacity that he took part in the Asansol Marathon in February. “There were two Kenyans taking part, who came first and third. They were such simple folk, very casual about appearance. It is the track that they breathe and dream of. They have even seen Kenenisa Bekele, the world record holder in 5,000m and 10,000m train. I learnt a lot about pace management by running with them.” Shashi came a creditable fourth, winning a cash reward for coming among the top five.

Even as he basks in the glory of his new state record, he has an eye out for a spot in the World Youth Games. “I got a bronze in the selections held last month. But I still don’t know if I qualified,” he wonders.

A packed training schedule means academics taking a backseat. But Shashi tries his best to strike a balance. “Our principal Suman Lata ma’am is very supportive. School starts at 8am but I am allowed to reach at 9.30am after practice.”

Once school gives over at 2.10pm, he is off for another round of practice from 4.30pm to 7pm.

Shashi is staying at the SAI hostel ever since he qualified to enrol last November. “My parents, sister and brother stay in Howrah but I am happy to be staying near my school and get the best training possible.” At SAI, he is under the tutelage of the academic in-charge Kalyan Choudhury, a middle and long distance specialist. “I love to watch videos of Olympic Games. Some day, I want to be there draped in India colours,” he says.

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Can Salt Lake schools produce more sportspersons like Shashi Bhushan Singh?
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