Bahadur beats odds to grab silver with stunning back flip

Panaji: Sher Bahadur had given up on wushu four years ago, but his love was rekindled when he landed in Goa.
Working as a waiter in Goa’s famous north coastal belt, Bahadur came across Paulo Killman Fernandes, coach and secretary of Association of Goa Wushu.
Paulo ignited the fire in Bahadur during the last one year and the 27-year-old fought the odds to clinch a silver medal in nangu category at the 37th National Games at Campal Sports Village, here, on Saturday.
Bahadur made all the right moves, including a stunning back flip, that was enough to score 8.85 to finish second. The Goa athlete missed the gold by a whisker to Manipur’s Bonish Yurembam, who scored nine points. Delhi’s Surojeet Sardar (8.05) clinched bronze.
“The flip was difficult, but I had to do something different from the rest,” Bahadur told TOI after his silver-medal winning effort. “I was a bit nervous as I was competing after a long gap. Everyone was expecting a gold from me. I am a bit disappointed that I could not win gold, but I am happy with my performance.”
It was Goa’s third medal at the Games and it came on the concluding day of the event. Roshan Karki had opened Goa’s account with a silver, while Paulo’s daughter, Janvia, won bronze the next day.
Bahadur, the youngest among four siblings, had given up on sports due to financial constraints. He moved to Goa from Patiala, Punjab, more than a year ago, and landed a job at a hotel in Candolim.
Even after hectic working hours, Bahadur trained rigorously from six to nine in the morning and reported to work one hour later. After falling in love with the sport again, Bahadur doesn’t want to give up on wushu, and has now set his sight on representing India.
“Knowing his potential, we were hoping for a gold,” said Paulo. “He is very punctual, and in the end, it’s his hard work that has paid off.”
Meanwhile, in women’s nangun, Goa’s Juneeta James Ekka managed 6.60 points and was out of the medal contention while in taijijian women’s category, Goa’s Farzeen Moilqnjikkkal (7.20) finished sixth out of eight participants.
“We have lot of hope in Bahadur and the other athletes who did well at the National Games,” said AGW vice-president Niyati Chimulkar. “They have the capacity to do more. It is a proud moment for us all and next time we will win more medals for Goa.”