Mohammed Basil: “Disability doesn’t matter”

Commonwealth Games silver medalist Mohammed Basil spoke about his journey as a 21-year-old sprinter from Kerala in a round-table interview in Kerala. Basil, who started running in the sixth standard after initially playing Kho Kho, mentioned Usain Bolt as his role model. He shared that his personal best for 100 meters is 10.63 seconds, while he won the silver medal in 10.83 seconds at his first international competition. Basil highlighted the initial difficulties he faced with training equipment and upper body training, as well as the advice provided by his coach and parents. Highlighting his morning and evening training routine with only rest on Sundays, Basil said, “Disability doesn’t matter,” encouraging budding athletes to work hard in their chosen fields. He also noted the need for equal support from the government for athletes in all sports and expressed optimism about progress towards future competitions.