Agali: A national sports star is now doing odd jobs to make both ends meet. T Joby was an athletics star in long distance running and is son of Agali Palliyara village Thalachiraveetil Jose and Maria. He was Kerala’s hope in long distance running and was the state superstar in 2000 and 2001 under the 5000m category race.
Joby had won silver and gold in cross country and at the Gandhinagar cross country, he won bronze. He had also won laurels in the Southern zone event. Joby achieved all these honours under the supervision of coach Sebastian. Due to his poor financial condition, he was not able to achieve more laurels in sports.
Though Joby figured in the top sporting list in the state, he was not even offered a low grade government job. Even employment exchanges failed to provide any respite to the sporting talent. Joby is presently awaiting the results of the personal interview of attender Grade 2 test which was held at the DMO in Palakkad in November 2018. He had passed the course which is needed to become a sports trainer. He had worked as a trainer at the Agali school on a daily wage basis some time back.
Joby is also shortlisted in the PSC list for sports trainers. But if the vacancies in the main list gets filled up, the existing list will get cancelled. At the age of 37, this is his only hope.
Joby was injured 4 years back when he was giving training for students in long jump. He was unable to seek expert treatment due to his financial instability. Joby’s main challenge right now is that it would be impossible for him to go for daily wage jobs to feed his family comprising his parents, wife and 2 children.
