A multiple marathon champion with no one to champion her cause

BATTLING ODDS

Whenjyotigawtecrossedthefinishline,one would have expected her to feel ecstatic at being the fastest Indian woman at the 2017 Mumbai Marathon. But there was hardly any signs of rejoicing. There was a reason behind the absence of any celebration. Gawte had been here before, and her expectations of her life changing for the better after her feat had been dashed.

Despiteclockingapersonalbestof2:50:53 for her second win in the event, Gawte has given up hope of the financial situation of her family improving. With defending champion Sudha Singh, national record holder OP Jaisha, and three-time winner Lalita Babar choosing to sit out the race, Gawte was the favourite in a depleted field. She lived up to the billing too.

But her victory in the 2011 edition had not brought the returns she expected. Gawte thought doors of opportunities will finally open up. Securing a job with a steady salary was a definite expectation. It would have helped ease the financial burden on her family,whichreliedonherfatherwho,nowretired, workedas'safaikaramchari'atalocalbank.or maybe an invitation to the Indian national campaswell–whichwouldhelpherimprove her training and boost her career. Nothing , though, came.

She was shunned back into the labyrinth of uncertainty – earning a living off running marathonswherevershecouldpossiblyreach within the country. The reliance on far-fromideal training techniques grew. But it was all she had. “It's better that I don't get my hopes up this time. It makes things even more disappointing if it doesn't happen," she said on Sunday, choking.

At 29, Gawte's career and life have been daunted by struggle and uncertainty. Her colleaguesintheathleticsfield,whotobefairhave recordedbettertimings,arebeneficiariesoffi- nancialstabilitygiventheirgovernmentjobs. Theparbhaninativeinmaharashtra,meanwhile, relies on cash prizes from road races.

"She uses the money to sustain her diet, purchaserunningshoes,andsupportherfamily," explains Ravi Rasqatla, her coach who has been with her since discovering her talent at a local tournament in 2003.

Up until 2015, her parents and two brothers lived with her in the family's wooden hut. "The wood used to keep chipping and it was expensive to replace," Rasqatla states. "From allhersavingsandfromwhatherelderbrother in the police keeps sending, the family has finally built a pakka two-storey house."

While Gawte travels the country in search of marathons to compete in, her elder brother is posted in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra–anaxalitearea."there'salways a danger over there, and our mother keeps fearing for him," she says.

Of her own career though, she has long grown used to the struggle to find an opportunity – one that is yet to come - to improve. Twice has she represented India at international events, the Pattaya Marathon in 2011 and the 42.195 km event at the SAF Games in Guwahati last year.

Yet, she hasn't managed to secure a spot in the national camp. "That's where she will get superior training and knowledge to improve. If she makes it, she can surely become good enough to get to the marathon at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics," asserts Rasqatal.

Inmumbai,thetargetshehopedtoachieve wasasub-2:45–thequalificationstandardfor the World Championships in August. There is still a marathon in Delhi next month where she can hope to make the cut off, and possibly get recognised.

From her past Mumbai experiences though, she's become a bit more unassuming. She asserts that she isn't happy with her eventualtiming.she'smadepeacewiththefactthat thecashprize–achequeofrs5lakh–isallshe might get. For now, she's cautiously hopeful.

Nirmal Harindran With several top competitors missing, Jyoti had an easy race.