Fisherman's son Prince Noble, cousin Manu Francis sail from Kerala backwaters to Asian Games silver

For Prince Kurisinkal Noble, the sea is both a reminder of loss and a source of triumph. His fisherman father died in the devastating Kerala floods of 2018, but the waters that claimed his life also remain central to Noble's own journey, which culminated in an Asian Games silver medal on Thursday.

Noble and his cousin Manu Francis became India's first silver medallists in the men's skiff sailing event at the Asian Games, capping a decade-long partnership that began in the backwaters of Kerala.

For Noble, the connection with the sea was almost inevitable.

"My father was a fisherman and the sea is very near our house. So, we are connected to the sea. That is why it was easy for us to start with sailing," the 30-year-old told PTI after the biggest medal of his and Francis' careers at the Kaiyoh Yacht Harbor in Gamagori City.

Noble's father died during the floods that devastated Kerala in 2018, but his mother became his support system.

"My father is no more, he died in the floods which hit Kerala in 2018. With the silver medal today, I have done more than what my father had wanted. After my father's death, my mother has been my support system.

"So, I would dedicate this medal to my father, mother, coach, all my well-wishers and countrymen," said the sailor from Ernakulam, the twin city of Kochi.

Noble began sailing in 2009 at the age of 13, when he was in Class VII. Francis, a year older, took to the sport at 14.

For both, the journey started in familiar surroundings.

"Since we are from Kerala, we started sailing at the backwaters. Some of our cousins came into sailing. They told us about sailing. We didn't know much about it initially but later developed a passion," Francis said.

Their first impression of sailing was far less technical.

"At first we didn't know anything about sailing. We thought it was like swimming and playing in the water," Francis recalled with a laugh.

The cousins have now been sailing together for 10 years. They trained at the Mumbai Yachting Node of the Indian Army and won a bronze at the Asian Championships in 2023.

Noble made his international debut in Germany in 2017, while Francis competed internationally for the first time in 2019.

Their Asian Games debut could hardly have gone better.

"It's a special feeling for us to win a silver medal in our first Asian Games. It could have been a gold but for the windy conditions but that is not an excuse," Noble said.

The cousins believe their family bond has helped them handle the pressures of competitive sailing.

"We are cousins and we grew together. Also, we have been sailing together for the past 10 years. We don't have to talk much. We understand. We can handle the bad days very easily," Francis said.

"We knew that this was the best opportunity we can get."

For Francis, the medal also carries a larger significance for a sport that remains relatively less prominent in India.

"We hope the medal brings more awareness about sailing in India," he said.

His next target is already fixed: the national championships in November.