The Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony at Benson Town’s house, former national champion and Top Sprinter Kenneth Powell’s mind traveled back to the days when he was part of the Indian contingent that flew to Tokyo through Hong Kong and waited more than Two hours to enter the Stadium for the past March in the match 1964.
“We left 10 days before the start of the match on September 30.
There was no official shipments for the team.
Only President of the Indian Olympic Association Raja Bhalindra Singh was present,” Former Asian Games Powell Record Holder Remember , The prominence among those in contingent is Milkha Singh, Gurbachan Singh Randhawa and Hockey players, including Shankar Laxman and Harblinder Singh, who defeated Pakistan in the final to regain a gold medal.
The 99 member contingent has 40 officials including an Athletics Federation official who travels as a aquatic coach.
“He could not be accommodated in athletic contingent so he traveled as coach of the Aquatics team,” 81-year-old Powell remembered.
Grand Opening “The opening ceremony is fantastic.
We have to wait outside the stadium for the past of March and we need almost two hours to enter because we are in the middle of the road – around 47 countries.
The main attraction is the formation of an Olympic ring with five air force jets.
GS Randhawa is our flag.
Games village is very large and the committee gives us a cycle to move.
After parked, another athlete can use it, “said Powell.
Meeting Hayespowell, who competed in 100m, given his meeting with American Bob Hayes who won gold with a new world record of 10.0 seconds.
“I was hot 1 and the fourth ended in 10.7 seconds.
Japanese Hideo Iijima won in 10.3 seconds and only the top three were eligible.
It turned out to be the fastest heat of remembering the rainy conditions as we ran on the red cinder line in deep water , “said Powell.
“Most Indian athletes have Roshan Patiala’s nails, but I have a talented Puma to me by German Star Heinz Schumann during Indo-Germany met.
In the Heat 5, a Venezuelan athlete was third at 10.8.
I remember meeting Bob Hayes During the heating.
He is hot 8.
“Describes the qualification process for the match, Powell said:” It is known as international qualification standards.
At 100m, the sign is 10.4 seconds.
I won a trial at 10.5 which could be a national record.
But It helped the wind.
My official time was then recalibrated as 10.6s.
You have to send performance for a period of one year before the Olympics.
I qualify from India because I have won trials.
There are 80 sprers for 100 m in the game and my ranking can be around 64.
We also qualify for 4x100m relays.
Time 41.2 is standard and we did it during the first pre-Olympic trial in June at the Sree Ka Stadium Nteeraava in Bengaluru.
In the last trial we did 40.9 in Patiala.
“The squad consisting of Anthony Francis Coutinho, Mayhan Singh, I (I run curve) and RajaSEPARAN do 40.6 in the heat and finish defeating Japan.
We make semifi and Japan qualify as the fastest loser.
In the semifinals, we recorded 40.5s for Complete the fifth beat Japan again, “said a decorated athlete who also competed in 200 m and clocked 21.9 seconds.
Indian food in the request “Great atmosphere in Tokyo.
The village of Games only has one lane and so we have to make their own settings and have to practice outside Tokyo.
We have our own chef.
One dining room, from nine, allocated to us.
And we Has many athletes from other countries that come to taste Indian food, “Powell said.
The trip again saw the Indian contingent, with gold hockey, rest in Hong Kong.
“We got a lot of gifts from the company.
I got a radio transistor Sanyo, a bag from Panam.
We also got a daily allowance of eight dollars from IOA.
One dollar is five rupees,” said the former champion.
Sprinter Olympian Powell remembers the trip to Tokyo for the match 1964
