Rajeev Balarkishnan competed in the men’s 4×100 meters relay at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and was considered India’s fastest runner for quite a while.

The legendary Mikha Singh, who passed away at the age of 91 on Saturday, had a special bond with Rajeev Balakrishnan. Milkha Singh was a massive inspiration for the development of Rajeev Balakrishnan’s career.

Also Read: Cricket fraternity mourns the death of ‘The Flying Sikh’ Milkha Singh

At the 12th Asian Games in Hiroshima, Japan, Rajeev Balakrishnan could not deliver his best performance and was feeling quite dejected. Milkha Singh then spoke to Rajeev Balakrishnan and boosted his morale with his inspiring words.

The 50-year-old Rajeev Balakrishnan has now settled in Australia and lives with his family in Brisbane. When he found out about the demise of Milkha Singh on Saturday morning, he was saddened and termed it a personal loss.

Balakrishnan considers himself to be among the few lucky athletes to have been inspired by Milkha Singh.

Before Kerala’s Anil Kumar Prakash burst onto the national scene around 2003, Rajeev Balakrishnan was indisputably the fastest Indian sprinter. At the height of Balakrishnan’s prowess, Milkha Singh believed that the former would go on to break his 200m record.

Balakrishnan, who was born in Nagpur in 1971, clocked his personal best of 21.44 seconds in 200 meters on June 10, 2000 at Long Beach, CA (USA) but was unable to break Singh’s mark.

Balakrishnan, who was based in the United States for the better part of his career, clocked his best time of 10.32 seconds in the 100m dash at Long Beach in the Stanford Invitational competition in 2000. His best timing in 100m in India was 10.40 seconds when he achieved it in Bengaluru on July 5, 2000.

Also Read: Farewell, “Flying Sikh” - Story of Milkha Singh, the man who made an entire nation believe

Recalling his first meeting with Milkha Singh, Balakrishnan said the legend advised him to concentrate on one event instead of competing in multiple events. Balakrishnan said:

‘I tried my best to break Milkha Singh’s 400m record but could not do it’: Balakrishnan

Balakrishnan admitted that he tried his best but could not break Milkha Singh’s long-standing national record of 400 meters.

After graduating in engineering, Balakrishnan went to the US to pursue a masters degree. Even after finishing his MS, he stayed back in the US for his athletics training.

Balakrishnan believes the contribution of Milkha Singh to Indian athletics is a legacy that will remain unmatched.

Balakrishnan admired the way Milkha Singh produced amazing results with limited resources and called him an icon for all the Indian athletes.

Saluting Milkha Singh for his phenomenal achievements, Balakrishnan urged the Indian youngsters to take inspiration from the legend.

Milkha Singh may have left us for a greater journey but the legacy of the ‘Flying Sikh’ is here to stay forever.

Also Read: Milkha Singh: PM Narendra Modi and others react to the death of legendary sprinter

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