In Amrit Gopinath's novel, Indian sprinter strikes Olympics gold in 100m dash

New Delhi, Sep 29 (PTI) An Indian may not have achieved glory in an Olympic sprint event but in marketing professional Amrit Gopinath's novel, protagonist Sachin Thomas, fighting against all odds, strikes gold in the 100m dash at the Games.

Gopinath captures Thomas' journey, failures and triumphs and how his dream culminates in a heart-pounding climax at the mega sporting extravaganza in 2024 in his book "The Prodigal Sprinter".

"This is the story of a young Mumbai boy who trades his cricket bat for a shot at Olympic glory and is a testament to resilience, grit and the drive to cross the finish line," says the author.

Thomas' father groomed him for cricket glory but the boy had other plans. He wanted to be a runner and guided by his loyal friend and a cast of eccentric coaches, Thomas poured his rebellion into sprinting, shattering national records and shining in the international circuit.

He used to run both the 100m as well as 200m races. The 100m favoured his style of running, the explosive start and quick drive phase, but doing the 200m was more challenging for Thomas.

The Stade de France in Paris becomes a cauldron of excitement as Thomas is crowned the Olympic 100m champion. He won a cliffhanger by 0.01 seconds as both he and second placed Jamaican runner Jonah Mills dove for the finishing line.

"The Prodigal Sprinter", published by Purple Pencil Project, is Gopinath's debut book. He has worked in several marketing positions for brands like Adidas, Nokia, Philips and Levis. PTI ZMN RDS RDS