ONGOLE: Youngsters are chasing marks and money but losing health, say Prakasam’s newest international champions. CI S Subba Rao and PET J Nasaraiah, who together bagged three golds and a silver at the World Masters Sports Championships 2026 in Thailand, want their medals to start a conversation about fitness after 30 and the power of sport to rebuild physical and mental health. Though a few senior and veteran sportspersons have achieved medals in various national and international master’s tournaments, these two champions are different as they both come from remote rural backgrounds and middle-class families.
Police Inspector Surepalli Subba Rao, 40, from Chirala and a private educational institute’s Physical Education Teacher Jammulamudi Nasaraiah, 35, a native of Gajjalakonda village in Markapuram mandal, both excelled and brought name and fame to the combined Prakasam district, AP and the country by standing in the No 1 place of the winners’ podium twice on an international sports dais.
Despite age constraints and their regular professional duties, these two enthusiastic and mentally young employees did not give up their ambitions to flourish in their passionate sports on an international platform.
The World Masters Sports Championships 2026, a multi-sport event, was scheduled for April 17 to 20 and held at Pattana Sports Resort in Sriracha, Thailand. It covered a diverse range of disciplines, including yoga, sports, swimming, track and field, basketball, football, pickleball, para athletics, fashion sport, kabaddi and power-lifting. A large number of athletes, coaches and sports enthusiasts from across the globe attended the tournament.
In this WMSC 2026 tournament, CI S Subba Rao won two gold medals in the 100 metres and 200 metres running races in the 40 plus age category. On the other hand, J Nasaraiah won a gold medal in the 100 metres running race and a silver medal in the 5000 metres walk race in the 35 plus age category.
Six months before this tournament, Nasaraiah’s father passed away and he and his family were in a sorrowful situation. At that time, he had just received confirmation of his participation in WMSC 2026. It was a tough period for Nasaraiah as he was disturbed psychologically. At one point, he became emotional, quit his job and became an introvert. He did not even think of attending the Thailand tournament. But it was his mother who made him brave enough to cope with the situation and he returned to the ground to continue his practice.
Nasaraiah, the elder son of two, completed his schooling and intermediate education in Markapuram and studied BPEd and MPEd courses at Acharya Nagarjuna University. Then he joined a private college as a Physical Education Teacher. During his degree and PG, Nasaraiah was very passionate about a police job and he even qualified for the second round of the SI selection process. But unfortunately, he missed that chance due to lack of proper guidance. Then he realized that regular practice of his running skills and physical exercises should not be stopped.
“It’s not easy to maintain the same fitness you have in your twenties after entering the 30 and 35 plus age groups. It is very hard for everyone to keep sound health and physical fitness unless you follow strict discipline in both food habits and behaviour. Except for a few weeks after my father’s death, I have been practising yoga, running and physical exercises sharply at 5 am and at 4 pm every day,” Nasaraiah explained.
On his return home on April 23 after winning a gold and a silver medal in the Thailand tournament, his native Gajjalakonda villagers welcomed him on a grand note with a big procession and felicitation. “It is a dream come true. I could not achieve it in my young age, but in my late 30s I am filled with immense pleasure,” he expressed his excitement and happiness.
CI Subba Rao came from an agricultural family in Palakonda Satram village near Venkatagiri in SPSR Nellore district. “I am the eldest of three brothers. My father Venkata Subbaiah, 62, is a small farmer. Mother Munemma, 58, is a housewife. My parents were determined to move their children away from agriculture as they did not want us to suffer like them and provided us with education, though they faced many difficulties. In high school, I first realised my strength and skills in sports and games, particularly in running, jumping and volleyball. Then I started regular practice and it continued during my intermediate, degree and PG studies at SV University. I got selected as a Police SI under the sports quota,” Subba Rao explained.
But once he joined duties, it was difficult to spare time for sports practice apart from regular duties and job responsibilities. “To get some feasibility from regular police duties for sports practice, support from higher officials is compulsory. Fortunately, I got the best support from my superiors. Particularly, our Bapatla district Superintendent of Police B Uma Maheswar supported me a lot and encouraged me to excel in my passionate sport,” Subba Rao told TNIE.
This story has been written by IVNP Prasad Babu.