The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘Team spirit: no better place than Olympics’

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Wednesday, Aug 13, 2008
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‘Team spirit: no better place than Olympics’

Nisha Millet

Nisha Millet recounts her experiences during the 2000 Games at Sydney

Nisha Millet received the Arjuna Award before leaving for Sydney
She was the first Indian swimmer to qualify for an Olympics

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Aiming high: A file picture of swimmer Virdhawal Khade (right), along with Hakimuddin (centre) and Nisha Millet, at the launch of the book ‘Kolhapur to Beijing — Freestyle’ in Bangalore.

Bangalore: I qualified for the 2000 Olympics while competing in the Australian Junior Nationals in April 2000. The qualifying time for the 200m freestyle was 2.07 and I went 2.06. My Olympic journey began. I was the first Indian swimmer to qualify for an Olympics, as prior to that all the entries sent from India had been token entries which made this even more special for me. I got lots of calls from family, friends and the press back home. The most excited being my father, who unfortunately could not be there when I qualified. The year 2000 was special for me as I received the Arjuna Award just before leaving with the Indian Olympic team.

We reached Sydney International Airport and were immediately greeted and ushered into the Olympic buses. I still remember Sydney being so colourful and vibrant. My first view of the Olympic Village left me in awe of the magnitude of the games. I was assigned a cottage with Anjali Bhagwat (shooting) and the weightlifting girls, including Malleshwari, who won the sole bronze medal for India. It was amazing to experience the different preparation methods for different sports. I would wake up at 5 a.m. and do my stretches to warm up, whereas Anjali would be woken up an hour earlier to meditate and calm her nerves.

Some of the highlights of my Olympic experience was meeting our captain, Leander Paes, sharing the whole experience with one of my best friends, Aparna Popat, and chatting with sporting legends like Ian Thorpe, Suzy O’Neil, Luc Longley and seeing Mohammed Ali in person at the Village. A great time for exchanging stories was sitting in the 6,000-seater dining halls which served everything from pasta to chicken tikka and unlimited McDonalds.

The Olympics opening was the most spectacular event that I have ever experienced and everyone had tears in their eyes when the torch was lit in a grand water and fire ceremony by Cathy Freeman.

I was swimming the first heat on the first day of the competition, so I could not march with the team. However, I did sit with the 110,000 strong spectator crowd and witness the opening.

I had been to the Olympic swimming venue before while training in Australia. However, walking in as an Olympian is a very different feeling. I was thrilled to be wearing the newly designed full body suit and felt excellent in the water. My event was first up and I won my heat but missed out on the finals. My parents had woken up at 3.30 in the morning to watch the event live from India and were filled with pride when they saw me winning my heat. I got to watch countless World and Olympic records being broken and the swimming events were probably the most thrilling events ever. I met up and chatted with Dawn Frazer, who was the first woman in the world to go under 60 seconds in the 100m freestyle, and when she heard I was the first Indian to go under 60 seconds in the 100m freestyle, she congratulated me and encouraged me. Once my event was over, I got caught up in the excitement and went to watch our Indian badminton players and hockey team competing.

There is no better place than the Olympics when it comes to team spirit and it was a great feeling to be part of this amazing Indian team. We all celebrated when Malleshwari got the bronze and took flowers and balloons to wish her that day. All in all, the most memorable experience I’ve had.

I want to return one day as a spectator to feel those chills down my spine at the opening ceremony or when a world record is broken. Everyday when I wake up and see the Olympic certificate hanging on my wall, it brings back the best times of my life.

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