Harshveer Sekhon

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YEAR-WISE DEVELOPMENTS

As in 2023

Sabi Hussain , Sep 13, 2023: The Times of India

New Delhi : He always aspired to make the country proud in roller skating but lack of government and financial support prompted Harshveer Singh Sekhon to quit the sport and return to his studies.


Disheartened but not disappointed, the Ludhiana boy soon found his second calling in cycling. And, within a year of pursuing the sport, he not only made it to the Indian national team but also to the H angzhou Asian Games squad in the men’s Madison race. Just five years ago, Harshveer had participated as a roller skater in the men’s 20,000m event at the Jakarta Asian Games. At the Hang zhou Asiad, he will be part of the 10-member cycling contingent, and he is confident of finishing on the podium.


So, how did he manage this switch from roller skating to cycling? “It was n’t difficult. It came naturally to me. After the Jakarta Asian Games, I had made up my mind to quit roller skating because of lack of financial support. I went to international competitions in South Korea, the Netherlands and China from my family’s savings. I had won silver in the elimination track race at the Asian skating championships held in China but received n o monetary support either from the g overnment or the federation. I realised that there was no point wasting my time in a sport which doesn’t sup port its athletes,” Sekhon told TOI. “In 2018, I was introduced to the sport of cycling by a family friend. I competed in the men’s team pursuit event at the All-India inter-varsity track cycling champion ship at GNDU. In my first professional outing as a cyclist. I ended up winning a gold and a bronze. The twin medals gave me confidence that I could pursue my sporting career in cycling,” he added.


The 25-y ear-old informed that he had started roller skating to lose weight as he was body-shamed by schoolmates for being obese. “I started skating at the age of six when I was in Class I. I was overweight and my classmates used to make fun of me. I was introduced to skating by my father’s friend who took me to coach JS Dhaliwal at the Leisure Valley skating rink in Ludhiana. I developed an instant liking for the sport and went on to win medals in All-India intervarsity, state and national meets, besides a silver at the Asian skating.


“Howev er, I got discouraged by the fact that even for Nationals, we ska ters were forced to spend from our pockets to participate. My parents started asking me questions about my future as an athlete when there was no monetary gain in return. So, I made up my mind to leave the sport after the Jakarta Asiad and p ursue my passion for cycling. I am proud of my decision because the cycli ng federation (CFI) has supported me a lot as a national camper and that has reflected in my performance internationally. I have been able to win several medals in Track Asia Cup and Asian champ ionships,” said Sekhon, who is pursuing PG diploma course in computer applications from Panjabi University.
Sekhon’s sister, Jasmeet Kaur, is also an aspiring cyclist and is part of the Indian national team.