His life revolved around studies, local school football matches and occasional labour during vacation in cardamom plantations near his village in Erattayar, in Kerala\u2019s Idukki district.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But a chance spotting during a football game changed everything. Kerala Sports Council Academy coach Baiju Joseph noticed his strong frame and raw physical potential. Convinced that the youngster was meant for athletics, Baiju persuaded him to try the 400m and high jump. Those experiments eventually led to the event where he truly belonged, the 110m hurdles.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In just two years, the youngster made staggering progress. On Wednesday at Jaipur\u2019s Sawai Mansingh Stadium, the 23-year-old underlined his rapid rise by smashing the KIUG Meet Record, clocking 14.32 seconds to clinch gold for Mahatma Gandhi University. '<\/p>\r\n\r\n
His run capped a gripping finish, with Shivaji University\u2019s Vikas Ananda Khodke (14.516s) and University of Calicut\u2019s Rahil Sakeer VP (14.518s) separated by mere thousandths of a second.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt was my first Khelo India University Games gold, and the competition was quite close,\u201d Shintomon told SAI Media moments after his triumph. \u201cI was happy to be part of such a competitive field, which gave me the push I needed on the day. I had heard about KIUG, but experiencing it and winning gold in my first appearance makes it even more special.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
For Shintomon, the medal carries a deeper meaning. Born to a painter who runs the household on a daily wage, he grew up without any exposure to organised sport. His family, he admits, still knows little about his achievements. \u201cThere was no environment for sports in the family,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cEven now, my family isn\u2019t much aware of my achievements, but it has all been possible because of the support from my college and my coach. I\u2019m grateful to them for keeping their faith in me.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite the meet record, surpassing the previous mark of 14.40s held by Vikas, Shintomon is far from satisfied. He sees himself as a work in progress, with the bigger picture in mind. Last year, he clocked a personal best of 14.18 seconds while winning silver at the All India University Games. This season, he registered a best of 14.25 at the 64th National Inter State Senior Athletics Championships in Chennai.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
His upward graph has bolstered his ambition but deep inside he knows he has to work harder to target Tejas Shirse\u2019s national record of 13.41.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
For the young athlete who once toiled in cardamom fields to support his family, the KIUG gold medal has become a major turning point. Motivated by the breakthrough, he is determined to build on the momentum as he chases his dream of representing India on the international stage.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
His upward graph has bolstered his ambition but deep inside he knows he has to work harder to target Tejas Shirse\u2019s national record of 13.41.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Now training under Juilius J Manayani at St. Dominic\u2019s College in Kottayam, Shintomon has already begun visualising the workload ahead and is eager to resume training soon in preparation for a packed 2026 season.<\/p>\r\n\r\n