Adil Altaf on Saturday created history by becoming the first cyclist from Jammu and Kashmir to win a gold medal in the Khelo India Youth Games. 

He won the Boys 70 Km road race after warding off challenge posed by the likes of Sidhesh Patil of Maharashtra and Arshad Faridi of Delhi. 

Also read: De Kock set to join Dhoni in elite list, South Africa take on India in 2nd T20I

“This is a big moment for me. I came here confident of doing well. The gold is a bonus and a huge confidence booster,” he said after the big win. 

Who is Adil Altaf?

Hailing from Jammu and Kashmir, Adil Altaf is a son of a struggling tailor in Srinagar. As per news agency ANI, he used to cycle in the by-lanes of Lal Bazar – a locality in the municipal committee of the capital city. He is 18 years old. 

He picked up and dropped off clothes for his father. Altaf had won the silver medal in the 28 kms individual time trial on Friday. Hundreds including Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha congratulated him.  

Also read: Graeme Smith recalls stealing Jacques Kallis’ whites and playing with a broken hand

As per ANI, Adil Altaf competed for the first time when he was 15 years old. He participated in an event organized at his school, Kashmir Harvard. The youngster, riding on his brilliant performances, took up the sport eventually. 

His father, a tailor, struggled hard to buy him a cycle to pursue his passion. Wins in local events helped. The State Bank of India in Srinagar sponsored a MTB bike, costing Rs 4.5 lakh, for him. 

Also read: Bowling concerns plague India before 2nd T20I against South Africa

Adil Altaf trained at NIS Patiala for the Khelo India Games. He put in six months for the mega-event. 

 Meanwhile, Haryana’s Riddhi and Rajasthan’s Kapish Singh came from behind to clinch the girls and boys’ recurve archery gold while Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh shared the spoils in compound archery on the penultimate day of the Khelo India Youth Games at Panchkhula on Sunday.