Sportspersons would tell you that not winning gold can still be a commendable achievement if you manage to make the podium. However, one can't be sure how a handful of them felt after finishing second, third, or worse in their electoral races in Kerala's local body polls.

At least a dozen former athletes and sports administrators contested the polls at various levels, but only a few secured victories. The most famous winner might be 21-year-old Elviya Devassy, a former softball player, who won from the Chevoor East ward of the Cherpu grama panchayat in Thrissur district. She secured 496 votes to beat CPM's Vineetha Rajan (336).

666 votes, unlucky Arjuna winner
The most famous sporting star to taste defeat in this polls is Asian Games medallist Padmini Thomas. The Arjuna awardee, contesting on a BJP ticket, finished a distant third in the Palayam division of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. She secured 666 votes to settle behind Congress's Sherly S (1,231) and CPM's Reena Williams (800). While the BJP scored a crushing win in the corporation, taking 50 of 101 seats for which polls were held to dethrone the LDF, Padmini was unlucky.

Former state basketball player Jaison Peter Meleth was one of the other winners, who was elected from the Treasury division of the Aluva Municipality. Jaison got 243 votes, which was enough to beat independent candidate Arun Antony (157).

Nalakath Basheer, former secretary of the state volleyball association, won his battle from the Kulirmala ward of the Perinthalmanna Municipality. Basheer secured victory for IUML with 336 votes, defeating an Independent candidate, Nilar Muhammad (263). Meanwhile, another sports administrator failed in Ernakulam. Padmaja S Menon, a senior vice-president of the Table Tennis Federation of India, lost from the Panampilly Nagar ward of the Kochi Corporation. Padmaja got 608 votes for the BJP, but lost to Congress candidate Antony Painuthara (1,948).

Red card in Kottayam
M B Santosh Kumar is a popular football referee who has officiated international matches. But his electoral debut for the BJP ended in disappointment, with him finishing third in the Nagampadom North division of the Kottayam Municipality. Santosh managed 216 votes, while Congress's T C Roy won the seat with 516 votes and CPM's S M Suresh (378) was placed second.

Merina A L too had traded football boots for ballots, but her match also ended in defeat. The former state footballer, contesting on Twenty20 ticket, finished fourth in the School Muttam East ward of the Elamkunnapuzha panchayat in Ernakulam district. Merina got 106 votes, while an Independent candidate, Titus, won the ward with 454 votes.

Heavy defeat & no slam dunk
Popular weightlifting coach Chithra Chandramohan had a heavy defeat on her debut from the Valarkavu ward in Thrissur Corporation. Contesting as a CPM candidate, the former national-level lifter lost to Congress's Mercy Aji. Chithra secured 795 votes, while the winner gained 1,445.

Former star basketball player Gopalakrishnan P lost from the Thattacheri ward in Nileshwar Municipality in the Kasaragod district. CPM's Sreenivasan K P got 376 votes to beat Gopalakrishnan (263). In Kottayam, former track & field athlete Lissy Cherian managed just 69 votes from the Thoppil ward in the Panachikkadu panchayat. Cherian, a candidate of Twenty20, finished fourth, while CPM's Divya Madhu won the ward with 495 votes.