Ten years ago, Chatholi Hamza was just one among the millions with footballing dreams in their eyes. He did excel in athletics, but football was his passion. Even as he went in search of goals, life pulled him onto a different track, sending him on a journey to becoming India's best 1500 metres runner.

In a short span of time, Hamza has proved his class beyond doubt on the national scene, and a little over a year ago, extended his reign beyond the country's boundaries, emerging as the South Asian Games champion.

In Kochi over the weekend, Hamza underlined his status with a superb victory in the South Asian Championships.
A wobbly start to the outdoor season, with defeats in the first two meets, had threatened his position but in his backyard, Hamza proved that when he puts his mind on the job, it would take some effort to peg him back.

"It was the first time I was running a major race in my home state, I just did not want to lose this one," Hamza, who hails from Alanellur in Kerala's Palakkad district, said after beating back the challenge of compatriot Ravinder Kumar, his conqueror in Patiala (Indian Grand Prix) and Bhopal (Federation Cup).

In many ways, the race in Kochi revealed the character that fuels the charge of this small-made man. His every stride that day conveyed the message of determination and when he made his move, he made sure that he could sustain it and turn it into a winning one.  Perhaps, the lessons he learned the hard way in life kept him in good stead.

Serious sport and the sacrifices that go along with it are unknown to the people in Hamza's village. But he was fortunate to have the right physical education teachers in Surendran and A Mohammad, who drilled into him the importance of choosing an individual sport.

"They told me that in a team game like football, your fate depends on ten others but in an individual sport, you can define your own career," Hamza said.

Still, Hamza was almost lost to athletics as he joined Madras Regimental Centre (MRC) in Wellington after a brief and bright foray into sport at the schools level. But the sporting environment at the MRC stoked his competitive fires and Hamza was back, challenging for a spot in the team. "It took three years for me to find my footing in athletics, to match the runners there," said Hamza.

Swift progress

Progress from then on was swift. A second place in the Nationals in 2003 was the turning point and in 2005, India's Belarus coach Nikolai Snesarev roped him into the National camp, giving his career a firm thrust. Gold medal in the Asian Indoor Games, silver at the Asian Indoors and bronze at the World Military Games stand testimony to the strides Hamza has made but it has been tough financially.

"After the Military Games medal, I was promoted to the rank of Junior Commissioned Officer. It is a great honour and Army has given me great support. But with hardly any sponsors, it is very difficult financially," said the 26-year-old.

Hamza has not allowed that disappointment to affect his work though. Last year, he became only the second Indian after Bahadur Prasad to go under 3:40 with a career-best 3:39.9 at the Jamshedpur Open Nationals.
A left calf injury slowed him down after that, but with encouraging displays in the Asian Indoors and at Kochi, Hamza has shown that he is back on track, chasing his next target — the Olympic qualifying mark of 3:39.00.
Hamza still loves his football. He adores Cristiano Ronaldo and roots for Manchester United in the English Premier League. Argentina, carrying the rich legacy of Diego Maradona, is close to his heart.

But his mind is firmly set on one goal now — running in the Olympic Games. Given his determination, it won't be a surprise at all to see him take the starter's gun, come August at the Bird's Nest in Beijing.