Impact Stories

Support for budding athletes, Ronal’s story

"Passion, perseverance, tenacity and hard work can lead anyone to success. It is true. However, it is equally true that help at the right time for the right use of equipment or technique to achieve success matters," says Ronal firmly. Meet Ronal Rathod, he is the son of an autorickshaw driver and at 22, he is looking for admission in LLB after graduating. A resident of Nava Vadaj, as a child, he got interested in skating and stood first most of the times in competitions. His father, Rajeshbhai, fond of cycling makes a visit to Chotila, Pavagadh, Ambaji through cycle every year.

This inspired Ronal. What started with hobby turned into his passion. At 13, he participated in fun bicycle ride near Gandhi Ashram. Then he went for long distance endurance ride without any coaching starting from Ahmedabad to Dhangadhra and Dhangadhra to Ahmedabad, a total distance of 200 kms. He was the youngest in the ride held by a cycling club. Cycling gives him feeling of freedom. He feels on the top of the world while cycling.

After participating in other championships, he got more devoted to pursuing cycling. He secured second position in district championship for which he borrowed a high-end cycle from a friend. He missed securing positions in many championships for some or the other reason. So he started to focus more on studies in Class 10-12 and secured admission in Gujarat Arts and Commerce College. But the cycle bug hadn’t left him behind completely. In one of the Inter College competitions, he scored third rank and had to go to Bikaner for an All India Inter University competition. But there, he could finish only four rounds out of the required ten.

Ronal again participated in another Inter College competition in 2019 and secured third position but failed to make it in the All India University competition as his cleats got damaged thereby leading to more distance between him and the group while chasing. With no equipment, no facility for indoor training, he was acquainted by his friend to Infoanalytica Foundation which supported athletes like him. He got help in paying the down payment up to Rs 15,000 to purchase a high quality road bike. It is because of them that he now owns a bike that he can participate in competitions with. He pays the monthly instalments for the bike.

Because of the new bicycle, he can now ride 70-100 km from Ahmedabad- Gandhinagar to Chiloda and to and fro within 2 hours and 57 minutes. This is the practice he does every day. Ronal says, "Equipment matters a lot. If the road bike has carbon wheel, it becomes light and hence one can ride it fast. I am aiming for national championship and later Asian Championship. I practice with motorized vehicle pacing to increase my speed. Warm-up, workout and cooldown are a part of my daily life."

After practising, one needs to have 5,000 calories per day and a proper consultation of dietician. But his family is not in a position to afford that. His family is very supportive of his love for cycling. He has been asked by them to be stress free and focus on his goals. They have not asked him to earn for the family as his father thinks that his goal in cycling should not be distracted. He is currently being trained under a national cyclist player Santosh Jaiswal of Lucknow by online all free of cost, arranged by his father.

Ronal is also preparing for the exams of becoming a revenue officer. Balancing studies and cycling is a task but he enjoys the challenges. He feels he is at peace with himself when he cycles. He is grateful for the timely help by Infoanalytica Foundation. He takes care of his road bike like a mother cares for his/ her baby. It is that precious to him.