UP’s Sarita wants to win for her daughter Maahi
LUCKNOW: From long jump to triple jump and then hammer throwing, Sarita Romit Singh tried her best in all three and went through different experiences. She went on trying her luck in long jump at the junior nationals and then in triple jump too but couldn’t make it to the podium.
Although disappointed and tired too, Sambhal’s Sarita didn’t lose heart and went on trying her hand in hammer throwing only in 2008. As expected, many discouraged and even advised her to not pursue sports further but strongly-built Sarita didn’t give up and within a few months of her training, she won a silver medal at the All-India Inter-Varsity while representing Hindu College.
However, that medal actually fuelled her ambition and after getting a job in western railway in 2011, her love for hammer throw grew.
“It was only after winning a silver medal that I started dreaming of winning a medal for India at the international level and when I got the job in railways, I decided to win an international medal for sure in my career,” said Sarita, 32.
Having a two-and-a-half-yearold daughter Maahi for which she had planned after a fifthplace finish at the Jakarta Asian Games in 2018, Sarita wants to win medals at both Commonwealth Games and Asian Games after achieving the qualifying marks for both the events at the last week’s Federation Cup Championship at Kozhikode, throwing the iron ball to the distance of 64.16 metre.
“I could throw hammer to 62.03 metre and finished fifth at the Jakarta Games. It was a big disappointment for me but after having a daughter, I thought to continue in sport and spent six months at the national camp. It was quite emotional for me when I met my daughter first time in six months after returning from the camp,” said Sarita, who won a gold medal at this year’s Indian Grand Prix at Patiala last month with a throw of 61.78 metre. Sarita, who set the national record with a throw of 65.25 metre during the 2017 Federation Cup Championship by breaking the previous mark of 62.74m recorded by Manju Bala in 2014, feels more confident and excited to make podium finish at the CWG as well as the Asian Games.
HOWEVER, THAT MEDAL ACTUALLY FUELLED HER AMBITION AND AFTER GETTING A JOB IN WESTERN RAILWAY IN 2011, HER LOVE FOR HAMMER THROW GREW
“I have learnt from my mistakes which I committed in the Asian championship and also at Jakarta. Now I am not going to repeat those mistakes. In fact, I wasn’t that experienced then but now things are far better and I am well prepared to make my presence felt in the international circuit,” said Sarita who would be debuting in the Commonwealth Games.
“Ab bus Maahi ke liye hi jitna hai mujhe medals (Now I have to win medals for Maahi),” said Sarita, adding, “I know what does it take to win medals at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games? For me, this is my ultimate dream this time and I am not leaving any stone unturned to make it happen.”