Ex Olympian heads for attention, help from government

The Andhra Pradesh Government is announcing and presenting cash prizes and other awards to sports persons who have excelled in events like Olympics or Common wealth games in recent years but are neglecting the players of yesteryears, who brought laurels to the State and country. MV Manikyalu, a 52 year old Olympian, who participated in 1984 Los Angels in Weight Lifting is living in pitiful condition and is now having a job in Vizag port trust.

He did not get any financial assistance or recognition worth mentioning for his talent and contribution to the field of weight lifting in the State. The Andhra Pradesh Olympic Association has recognised the services of Manikyalu and decided to take the issue to the notice of the Andhra Pradesh Government.

Manikyalu participated in Los Angels Olympics in 1994 and won Gold medal in the Common Wealth games held in 1995 in New Zealand. He also served as weight lifting Coach for some years after retirement as a player. After winning Common the wealth gold medal, the Government presented a cash prize of Rs 10,000 and a colour TV set, he recollected while interacting with media in Vijayawada on Monday.

“I don’t have the tendency of requesting the government to render financial assistance or give awards and rewards,” he quipped. He regretted the Government administration is not good though the Government policies are very supportive. He lamented that the Government is adopting biased attitude in awarding prizes to the players and neglecting talented players and coaches of yesteryears.

Manikyalu is the third weight lifting Olympian from AP to represent Olympics after Dandamudi Rajagopala Rao and Kamineni Eswara Rao. Now, the Andhra Pradesh Olympic Association has decided to help the veteran sportsman in trying to create awareness on how injustice was meted out to the former weight lifter.