Gabriel passes away

Gabriel, who won the 200M silver medal for India in the very first Asian Games -- 1951, New Delhi -- had been in critical condition for a couple of days. Though he showed signs improvment on Sunday night, the former sprinter’s lungs gave in, blowing the final whistle on an eventful life.

When the news of Gabriel’s condition made public on January 4, State Government and the Karnataka Olympic Association made promises of helping the veteran athlete, who once completed the 100M dash in 10.4 seconds in 1952 Police Meet in Bangalore.

The KOA lived up to its word by giving Rs 10,000 towards Gabriel's medical expenses but the Government’s promise remained unfulfilled till date.

“What the government has done is not right. They didn’t care about him when he was bringing home laurels and that’s something we got used to.

“But they shoud’ve at least come and had a look at him when he was in the hospital in such a condition. I hope he forgives them,” said Gabriel’s son Lewis, who works with the Railways.