Bengaluru: HIV positive teens Babu Seenappa and Manik Prabhu clock impressive timings in Boston 10K run.

The two Indians did the country proud at the Boston Athletic Association 10K run held in the United States recently. The two, belonging to Bengaluru, finished with impressive timings — under 45 minutes — in the June 25 race. But that is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. The two are both aged 16 years and are HIV positive! They have been participating in runs around the world to eradicate the stigma associated with the disease.

Babu Seenappa and Manik Prabhu, both trained by Elvis Joseph, a city-based coach, finished the Boston 10K run in a time of 41.13 seconds and 43.18 seconds respectively.

The runners train in Krishnagiri and are taken care of by Snehadaan, an organization located on Sarjapur Road. Babu is from Hoskote and was brought to the shelter by his aunt in 2008. Manik came to the city from Bidar with his mother.

It wasn’t the first time the two were competing outside the country, but the Boston run was their first race in the US. They were understandably thrilled with their experiences.

“It’s not that I have to wear bib saying I am HIV positive. No,” Babu told Mirror on Friday. “The fact that I am participating in the run is in itself a victory since it means I am part of a group of people who consider me normal. That is precisely the message we want to spread — we’re no different from others.”

Babu had finished with a better timing — 39.14 seconds — in the TCS World 10K held in the city earlier this year. He revealed that a lack of sleep had hampered his run in Boston. “The time difference is huge,” he said. “I went to bed early on the night before the run, but I just couldn’t sleep. The route was a straight stretch for 5km and then back. It was uphill on the way back and sun was directly in my face. I gave it my best anyhow. I don’t compete with others, not even Manik. I battle with myself and try to break my own record. That’s how I look at it.”

Manik, the quieter of the two, felt it was a great experience. “I have taken part in two international events before (in Colombo and Phuket),” Manik said. “When sir (Joseph) told me that I would run the Boston 10K, I was overwhelmed. It was my first time to the US and to Boston, which has a great history in running, was just fantastic. I learnt many things there and experienced a different culture. As for the race, I gave it my best.”

Why running?

There are many ways to fight the stigma associated with HIV, but why did these two choose running? “Our immunity actually improved when we began indulging in sport regularly,” Babu said. “Doctors conducted blood tests on us and compared it with other kids who don’t indulge in sport. They found that the chances of the virus turning dangerous were less in us. It’s not just running, we also play football, volleyball and throwball. The point is that you can fight the disease through sport. The results have been good for us. We hardly fall sick.”

On their one-week trip to the US, the duo was accompanied by Joseph and Jacob Varghese, a filmmaker. They left on June 22, took part in the race on June 25, toured the city for the next couple of days and returned on June 29. During their stay in a service apartment, Varghese turned cook, preparing dishes of rice and chicken for the ‘contingent’. They also met a couple of elite runners at the Boston 10K who advised them to “compete with yourself and not others”.

It wasn’t all hunky-dory though and the stigma of being HIV positive was never far behind. The duo had a harrowing time at the Visa Facilitation Services office in the city prior to their departure. “The people there had a bad attitude honestly,” Joseph said. “The two were made to wait from 10 am – 2 pm to collect their passports. They already had obtained their visas in Chennai. The officers complained unnecessarily and asked for guardian authorisation and death certificates of their parents. I lost my cool by the end of it and told them that the rules don’t specify that a death certificate has to be produced. Any person aged above 14 can collect their passports personally. The boys were anxious and the whole delay meant I had to reschedule my flight.”

Babu and Manik plan to experiment with a new training method in Krishnagiri over the next couple of months. Their next race is in November in South Africa.

Why no recognition?

Elvis Joseph urged the government to be more sensitive towards the runners and recognise their achievements. “The United Nations appreciated our efforts in the campaign ‘Champion in Me’ when the two took part in the Children’s Olympics held in Alkmaar, Netherlands, in 2015. However, there’s nothing from the state government yet. I just hope they realise how big it is for two kids like them to perform consistently on the global stage. The government should help by sponsoring their travel and facilitate participation in international events.”

 

 

(source: Bangalore Mirror)