New AFI president Bahadur Sagoo rose through ranks to top post

Chandigarh: A product of the inaugural junior national camp in 1989-90, the new Athletics Federation of India (AFI) president Bahadur Singh Sagoo has risen through the ranks to first achieve success as a sportsperson and then to the top administrative post.

The 51-year-old, who hails from Jalandhar and is currently serving as commandant in the Punjab Police, won a shot put gold at the 2002 Asian Games and also represented the country in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics.

His first international success came in 1992, when he won a gold medal in discus throw at the Asian Junior Championships in New Delhi. He later switched to shot put in 1994.

"The AFI started junior national camps in 1989-90 and I was a product of that initiative. I joined the camp in Patiala and my athletics journey began there. Whatever I have achieved till now is due to athletics," Sagoo told PTI in an interview.

"I won a gold medal in the 1992 Asian Junior Championships in New Delhi. India won medals (seven) in (four) throw events for first time. Before that China was dominating the throw events. That was the real start of my career.

"At one time I had junior (U-16) discus throw national record. (Late) Joginder Singh Saini was the junior team coach then. I was studying in class XI in Jalandhar at that time."

The junior program was introduced when Lalit Bhanot served as the AFI Secretary. Sagoo credits Bhanot, now the chairman of the AFI Planning Commission, for advising him to switch to shot put.

"I shifted to shot put in 1994. The technique was same. Bhanot sir told me to shift to shot put," he added, describing Bhanot as a "father figure" in his career.

"My playing career spanned more than 15 years and I never thought I would become AFI president. But here I am as AFI chief. I want to pay back to the sport which made me bring laurels for the country and shaped my life."

Sagoo’s lifetime best in shot put stands at 20.40m, with his gold medal throw at the 2002 Asian Games measuring 19.03m.

Sagoo was initiated to sports by his elder brother, who was also an athlete but now settled in the USA.

"My elder brother was doing long jump, triple jump and sprint and I also followed him and wanted to do jumps. But he said 'you have big built and so you should go for throws'."

Sagoo belongs to a middle class family and his father was a businessman who owned a factory.

Reflecting on his early years, Sagoo said there "was no big financial issues as such". But he did sustain a serious injury at the start of his career though he overcame it.

"I had injury in 1995, a severe back injury. Doctor told me I can't continue my athletics career. But the AFI and coaches backed me to continue," he said.