Mangalore: Former Cycling Champion Norbert D'Souza gets First Trek Cycle
Pics by Dayananda Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, May 3: On Sunday May 2, Norbert D’Souza, a tailor and cycling enthusiast, became the proud owner of the first ever ‘Trek Madone 5.2’ imported 24-gear trek bicycle in the city, costing Rs 2.3 lac. The bicycle, manufactured at Waterloo, Winsconsin, USA, was delivered to Norbert through the local dealers, Jyothi Cycle Company.
Norbert D’Souza, a tailor at Kaibattal in Kadri in the city, has got the bicycle by placing the order with Jyothi Cycle Company. A mechanic was deputed from Mumbai especially for fitting the parts together in the city. This six-kg trek cycle, exterior of which is made by using black carbon, moves through a system of gears, which go on changing as the cyclist pushes switch provided on the handle bar. This cycle can be carried easily by removing its wheels and handle bar, and then folding them together, within minutes.
Norbert, 58, third of the nine children of his father, who also was a tailor by profession, had a passion for cycling even during his student days. He had earned a name for himself by cycling his way to Mysore, Bangalore and New Delhi during his youth. He reached New Delhi from Mangalore by using ordinary bicycle within 11 days and returned by the same route. In 1974, he emerged as the national champion, but lost the opportunity to represent the country in Asian Games because he did not have funds and the bicycle of international standard. In 1978, he suffered compounded fracture in his right leg and could not pedal for 30 long years thereafter. After recovering through a regime of exercises over the years, in the recent past, he bought a Chinese-made bicycle costing Rs 6,000, and started pedaling his way. Norbert is confident that in the next two years, he will emerge a cyclist of national repute.
The cycle was handed over to him by Vishwanath Kamath, president of APMC Traders Association, in the presence of Badinath Nayak and Gopinath Nayak of Jyothi Cycle Company and entrepreneur, Manikkara Gopalakrishna Shanbhogue, who participated as guest. Norbert is sure to become an inspiration not only to the cyclists from the district, but also to those who feel like having been drained of all energy before reaching 60, the age at which one acquires the status of a senior citizen, and normally suffers from different diseases already acquired by him.