Praveen Chithravel's CWG silver sparks joy in Tamil Nadu village
The modest home of an agricultural daily wage worker in Settisathiram erupted in celebration Saturday, August 1, as Indian athlete Praveen Chithravel won the silver medal in the men's triple jump at the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Praveen clinched the medal with a best leap of 16.58 metres in freezing conditions, narrowly missing gold.
His father, Chithravel, told PTI that he took immense pride in his son's achievement while reflecting on the family's humble beginnings. "I am an agricultural daily wage worker," he said. "We educated our children and supported their dreams with the income I earned through daily wage work."
Recalling Praveen's early athletic journey, his father said, "Wherever I went, I took him on my bicycle. I showed him the world little by little, and step by step, he improved and went on to compete at the international level."
Acknowledging the narrow margin behind gold, he said the family had hoped for the top medal but remained immensely proud. "He missed it by a hair's breadth, but that's okay," he said, adding, "Next time, my son will certainly win the gold medal and bring greater pride to India and Tamil Nadu."
Chithravel, whose daughter works as a teacher and whose two sons are athletes, credited the wider community for his son's success. "The youth of this village encouraged him as though he were their own child," he said. "Teachers, relatives, and the entire village guided me in ways I did not know and helped my son progress to the next level," he added.
He also expressed gratitude to government authorities, saying, "I am deeply indebted to both the State and Central governments for extending all the assistance and support we needed."
The family and villagers watched the event unfold on television, celebrating Praveen's latest international medal. The athlete had earlier won a bronze medal at the Asian Games.
Looking ahead, Praveen's father said he hoped his son's achievements would inspire the next generation. "I pray that my son wins the gold medal next time," he said. "More importantly, I hope his success brings immense pride to this village and inspires at least ten more youngsters from here to take up sports and excel," he added.
(With inputs from PTI)
