UP’s Punam aims for Olympic ticket
Varanasi girl ready to put her best foot forward at the Houston event in November
Eversince her bronze-medal win at the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Glasgow, ace lifter Punam Yadav has been dreaming of an Olympic medal. And to ensure that she gets a ticket for the next year’s Rio Olympics, she is preparing to put her best foot forward at the upcoming World Championship.
“It’s just a beginning to my mission Olympics,” an elated Punam told HT soon after her name figured in the 14-member Indian squad for the World Championship to be held at Houston, USA from November 10 to 29.
“It’s my dream to win an Olympic medal and I won’t leave any stone unturned to turn it into reality,” said Punam, who had a bronze medal at the Glasgow Games with a total lift of 202-kg in the 63-kg weight category.
Punam said she was working hard on her fitness as it was paramount for the Houston event. “Fitness and luck are the two factors, which make a lot of difference. Right now, I am focussing on my fitness,” said Punam, who hails from Chandmari village, on the out- skirts of Varanasi.
Punam believes that to realise the Olympic dream, everyone in the squad had to work hard. “Once the team qualifies for the Olympics, only the best performer would be allowed to lead the country’s challenge at the Rio Games. Therefore, it’s a big challenge for all of us,” she said.
Witnessing her positivity now, one could never imagine that Punam had once thought of quitting the sport to support her 10-member family, who was struggling to manage even a two-square meal. She claimed that regular training at the camp soon after her success at the Glasgow Games has made a big difference in her performance.
“Nowadays, I am lifting 215kg weight and I am sure it will improve further at the World Championship,” said Punam, who also won a bronze medal at the Asian Junior Weightlifting Championship at Bangsaen (Thailand) last year.
Punam is an ex-trainee of the SAI Extension Centre at the Guru Govind Singh Sports College here. “She (Punam) always makes us proud and it’s really one of the biggest moments of her life,” coach at the SAI centre here, GP Sharma, said. “We all pray that she qualifies for the Rio Games,” he added.
Before the World Championship, which is also a qualifying event for the Rio Olympics, the entire team will undergo a short-term foreign training camp to prepare for the prestigious event.