Manakkala (Adoor): Septuagenarian PC Mathew is still active in the world of sports. He has won medals in high jump, long jump and triple jump, events that are not popular among the ‘senior’ athletes.

Mathew has served as a flying officer in the Air Force. He made his debut in the domain of athletics in 1986. Over the years, he has collected 140 gold medals and 20 silver medals. All these medals have been displayed in the special cupboard at his house.

Mathew's first medal came when he was 45 years old, when he was working in Uttar Pradesh. This was also the first time that he participated in a veteran’s meet. Later, he continued taking part in different events, representing the respective states that he lived in.

Mathew has won several medals for Delhi and Andhra Pradesh. He was promoted to the post of flying officer in the force for his exemplary performance in the Asian meet in 2000. After ending his official duty in the year 2001, he returned to Kerala.

From the year 2002, Mathew began representing Kerala. His latest addition to the tally of medals he won came in January 2020 in the 40th National Meet, held at Kozhikode. He won two gold medals and two silver medals in the meet.

Mathew credits his wife Shoshamma and his three children for being his support system.

Even as Mathew continues to collect medals for Kerala, he is discouraged by the fact that he has to manage his own expenses while other states support such senior athletes by sponsoring them. Mathew feels that Kerala is the only state that does not provide any help to its senior athletes.