From Cardamom Fields to Gold: How a Coach's Gamble Created a Hurdles Star

His life revolved around studies, local school football matches and occasional labour during vacation in cardamom plantations near his village in Erattayar, in Kerala’s Idukki district.

But a chance spotting during a football game changed everything. Kerala Sports Council Academy coach Baiju Joseph noticed his strong frame and raw physical potential. Convinced that the youngster was meant for athletics, Baiju persuaded him to try the 400m and high jump. Those experiments eventually led to the event where he truly belonged, the 110m hurdles.

In just two years, the youngster made staggering progress. On Wednesday at Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium, the 23-year-old underlined his rapid rise by smashing the KIUG Meet Record, clocking 14.32 seconds to clinch gold for Mahatma Gandhi University. '

His run capped a gripping finish, with Shivaji University’s Vikas Ananda Khodke (14.516s) and University of Calicut’s Rahil Sakeer VP (14.518s) separated by mere thousandths of a second.

“It was my first Khelo India University Games gold, and the competition was quite close,” Shintomon told SAI Media moments after his triumph. “I was happy to be part of such a competitive field, which gave me the push I needed on the day. I had heard about KIUG, but experiencing it and winning gold in my first appearance makes it even more special.”

For Shintomon, the medal carries a deeper meaning. Born to a painter who runs the household on a daily wage, he grew up without any exposure to organised sport. His family, he admits, still knows little about his achievements. “There was no environment for sports in the family,” he said.

“Even now, my family isn’t much aware of my achievements, but it has all been possible because of the support from my college and my coach. I’m grateful to them for keeping their faith in me.”

Despite the meet record, surpassing the previous mark of 14.40s held by Vikas, Shintomon is far from satisfied. He sees himself as a work in progress, with the bigger picture in mind. Last year, he clocked a personal best of 14.18 seconds while winning silver at the All India University Games. This season, he registered a best of 14.25 at the 64th National Inter State Senior Athletics Championships in Chennai.

His upward graph has bolstered his ambition but deep inside he knows he has to work harder to target Tejas Shirse’s national record of 13.41.

For the young athlete who once toiled in cardamom fields to support his family, the KIUG gold medal has become a major turning point. Motivated by the breakthrough, he is determined to build on the momentum as he chases his dream of representing India on the international stage.

“The timing was good for breaking the Meet Record here, but if I have to represent the country, I will have to work harder,” he said. “This gold medal will encourage me to push myself further.”

Now training under Juilius J Manayani at St. Dominic’s College in Kottayam, Shintomon has already begun visualising the workload ahead and is eager to resume training soon in preparation for a packed 2026 season.

- IANS