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MEDAL WINNERS FROM INDIA

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 10/28/2020 11:35:43 AM

Arokia Rajiv

Subedar Arokia Rajiv (born 22 May 1991) is an Indian sprinter and a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) in Indian Army who specialises in the 400 metres distance. He won silver medals in the men's and mixed 4 × 400 m relays at the 2018 Asian Games and placed third in the individual 400 m in 2014. He won medals in both the 400 m and 4 × 400 m events at the 2016 South Asian Games and 2017 Asian Championships. He competed in the relay at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Early life Rajiv was born in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, in a poor family. He studied at the Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Lalgudi, and St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli. Career Rajiv began his career as a long jumper before taking to 400 metres. At the 2019 Asian Championship, he Finished 4th Place, clocking 45.37 seconds in the final. In the process, he bettered his previous best of 45.92 seconds, which he had achieved at the Asian Games in Incheon on 28 th September 2014. Enrolled into the 8th Battalion of the Madras Regiment of Indian Army on March 15 2011, Subedar Arokia Rajiv was honoured by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind in New Delhi with the prestigious Arjuna Award for his outstanding contribution in Athletics in 2017. Subedar Arokia Rajiv becomes the second Arjuna Awardee from the Madras Regiment after Havildar Peter Thangaraj who had received the Award for his outstanding achievements as India’s football goalkeeper. The bronze medal winning performance in the 400- metre event by Arokia Rajiv, hailing from a village near Lalgudi in Tiruchi, on Sunday at the Asian Games in Incheon (South Korea) has enthralled sports lovers of the district. Rajiv, who hails from Vazhudaiyur, clocked a personal best of 45.92 seconds to finish behind Yousef Al-Masrahi of Saudi Arabia and Abbas Abubaker of Bahrain. “I am very happy that my son has won a bronze medal for the country. “ thank God for giving him the strength and confidence,” said his father Y. Soundararajan, a school van driver. Rajiv studied at the Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Lalgudi, and St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchi. Rajiv, serving in the Army, has been performing well at the national and international level for the past few years. The 23-year-old competed in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. “Born in a poor family, Rajiv has risen through sheer hard work. He is mentally very strong and stays focused on his goals,” said T. Ramachandran, joint secretary, Tiruchi District Athletic Association, who is from Lalgudi.