Sea to sandpit, Abdul lifts Lakshadweep to gold

Raipur: Abdul Fattah spends most nights at sea helping his family with their fishing business. By dawn, he is at the training ground, pursuing a dream that has now brought Lakshadweep its first medal at theKheloIndia Tribal Games (KITG) 2026,organisedby Chhattisgarh.The 18-year-old long jumper from Amini Island clinched gold with a career-best leap of 7.03metresat theKridaParisargrounds inJagdalpur,located350-kmfrom Raipur.The feat marks a historic moment for the Union Territory as Fattah became the first athlete from the islands to clear the 7-metre mark."He is the first from Lakshadweep to clear 7m, which is a special achievement," said Ahmed Javed Hassan, a sports officer from the Union Territory.Fattah is the eldest of four siblings and carries significant responsibilities at home. After finishing Class 12, he paused his studies due to financial constraints toassisthis father."I have to balance things. I have helped my father with fishing since my school days as it is our only source of income for a family of six. I train in the mornings, and my family supports me even if they do not fully understand the sport," Fattah said.The athlete did not start with track and field. Like many on the islands, he initially played football. His path changed two years ago during an inter-island competition when coach Mohammed Kaseem noticed his sprinting speed and suggested a switch to athletics.Since then, Fattah has focused on the long jump and 100-metre sprint. His progress coincided with the formation of the Amini Athletics Association, which has started providing structure to local sports. The association now trains about 384 athletes, 17 of whom were selected torepresentLakshadweep at these Games.