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Longevity, in any field, is a very hard task. It is a very big accomplishment, in sports particularly, because it needs constant practice, good fitness and the ability to cope under pressure at the highest level.People, in India, recognise cricketers who have gone on to play for longer duration achieving many feats. Apart from cricket, there are also other sports were in which have had long serving legends over the course of time.Let’s look into the top seven athletes from various sports, who have not only gone on to achieve great records, but also did it consistently for many years.
#1 Dhyan Chand (1922 1948)
While our generation is extremely gifted to have seen ‘the god of cricket’, we are equally unfortunate to have missed witnessing ‘the wizard of hockey’, Dhyan Chand.
But, from the videos ,which are available and the stories that have been said, all we can be sure about is that Chand was someone extraordinary. We have also heard the famous incident, when the wizard declined Adolf Hitler’s request to play for Germany, after his extra ordinary performance at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
In his glittering career, Chand scored more than 400 goals and won three Olympic Gold Medals in an era dominated by the Indian hockey team.
The legend’s last days were largely spent in misery and he died at the age of 74, due to liver cancer. Dhyan Chand’s birthday on August 29 is celebrated as the National sports day.
#2 Leander Paes (1991- Current)
Leander Paes, by far, is the most successful Indian tennis professional. Having been playing for nearly 24 years, he has won as many as 15 grand slams, which include eight doubles and seven mixed doubles titles. In 2012, Paes became the oldest man to win US Open 2013 at the age of 40.
Apart from his grand slam exploits, the 42-year old legend is also known for his famous victories in the Davis cup. He also holds the record for being the only Indian tennis player to have participated consistently in Olympics from 1992 which also includes a bronze medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Paes also achieved a rare feet by winning both men's doubles and mixed doubles at Wimbledon in 1999.
His longevity also meant that he became the second player to win Wimbledon in three different decades. Many experts attribute his decision of giving up the singles career as a major reason for his success in doubles.
#3 Sachin Tendulkar (1989-2013)
What can be written about the man who is considered a god in India, where cricket is celebrated as a religion?
Should one start talking about his record run scoring in Tests and ODI internationals or his 100 international centuries or him proving the critics wrong after they wrote him off after the tennis elbow injury? Sachin simply has each and every record to his credit.
The man, who was honoured with the highest civilian award (Bharat Ratna) in 2013, made the whole nation cry, when he finally announced his retired in 2013.
There are possibilities that players in future can go on to break his records, but there can never be another Sachin Tendulkar who had most often single handedly carried the hopes of the whole nation.
#4 Viswanathan Anand (1984- Current)
The 45-year old’s national level success came early when he won the National Sub-Junior Chess Championship at the age of fourteen. Anand was awarded Padma Shri Award when he was only 18.
He was the number one player in the world for 21 months.
Anand became the undisputed World Champion in 2007 and went on to defend it successfully in the very next year. Anand, in total, won as many as five world championships. He is also referred as ‘The Tiger of Madras’, is one of eight players in history to pass 2800 Elo on the FIDE rating list.
In 2007, he became the first sports person to be awarded with the Padma Vibushan award (second highest civilian award) for his contribution to chess in India.
#5 Baichung Bhutia (1995-2011)
On 1999, Bhutia etched his name in the history by becoming the first Indian player to sign a professional contract for a European club (FC Bury, England).
Bhutia scored in his international debut against Uzbekistan in the Nehru Cup (1995) and becaming India's youngest ever goalscorer, at 19. The Sikkimese Sniper, in total, played 107 matches for the country and scored 42 goals.
The three time Indian player of the year, played his final match for the national team against Bayern Munich at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi in 2011.
In an attempt to promote and improve football in the country, Bhutia in 2010 started ‘Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools’ in Delhi in partnership with football by Carlos Queiroz and Nike.
#6 Michael Ferreira
Relatively lesser known in the midst of the other legends, Michael Ferreira, was one among the bests in the amateur English Billiards.
In 1978, became the first amateur to break the barrier of 1,000 points in the billiards national championships by creating a new amateur world record by scoring 1,149 points.
Known as ‘The Bombay Tiger’, in his career span, went on to win three amateur world championships.
He also became the first billiards player to have been awarded with the Padma Bhushan award. Apart from that, Ferreira is also a recipient of Arjuna Award (1973) and Dronacharya Award (2001).
#7 A. Maria Irudayam
Another legend from a relatively less famous sport of Carrom.
Born in Chennai, Irudayam is a two time singles world champion (1991 and 1995) and a nine time national champion in his field. In the world carom championship in 1991 he also became the doubles champion with along with R. Arokiaraj.
He was also instrumental in Indian team winning tournaments in International Carrom Federation Cup in 1989 and 1997, the SAARC Carrom Championship in 1997, 1998 and 1999, the French Open International Carrom Tournament in 1998 and also the US Open International Carrom Tournament in 1996.
Apart from his Arjuna Award (1997), he was awarded as the best international player award by the German Carrom Federation in 1998.
