A construction worker’s unfinished Olympic dream lives on through the children in his village

Anis Shikalgar, a former construction worker and class 10 dropout, coaches children in pole vaulting free of cost in Ankalkhop village, Sangli district.

Shikalgar started pole vaulting at age 27 after meeting coach Sham Bhosale, but couldn't represent India due to age limits, finishing fourth in senior category.

In 2021, he began coaching on a riverbank, with initial landing area made of soft soil, discarded vehicle seats, and sponge scraps from a nearby factory.

Only two children initially joined due to parents' skepticism and lack of equipment, but Shikalgar improvised with makeshift landing pits.

Children now train with professional pole vault mats, continuing Shikalgar's unfinished Olympic dream.