Even as India gears up to send its largest contingent for the Tokyo Olympics, golfer S Chikkarangappa will be a part of the showpiece event as a caddie. Chikkarangappa missed qualifying for the men's golf competition, but Anirban Lahiri, set for his second Olympics, chose to provide him with a close look at the competition by asking him to be his caddie.
"It's a win-win situation for both. When Anirban offered me this opportunity to be his caddie, I accepted instantly. I am really glad that Anirban is giving me this experience," Chikkarangappa said.
"I will get to see an Olympics live in person. The younger generation has so much to learn. Yes, I won't be there as a player but this experience will be something different," he added.
He found it hard to come to terms with missing the cut for the Olympics. For, he was India's No. 2 before the second wave of Covid-19, and led him to miss some tournaments, causing his ranking to drop.
Chikkarangappa said the experience of caddying for Anirban in the upcoming Tokyo Games will help him prepare for the Paris Olympics.
"This experience (caddying for Anirban) will help me prepare for the 2024 Olympic Games. This will help me going forward," said Chikkarangappa.
Chikkarangappa also spoke about his bond with Lahiri with gratitude. "We are more than friends, we are like brothers. We have known each other for 18 years," he said.
"He's been a great friend, brother and always had my back. We have the same relationship today as we did 18 years ago. We will work together and do our best to return with a medal," Chikkarangappa concluded.
( With inputs from ANI )
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