The Hindu : Sport / Weightlifting : Manju

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 30, 2005

Sport

Sport - Weightlifting

Manju — proving her mentor right

P.K. Ajith Kumar

KOZHIKODE: On her way to school every morning, the 13-year-old would steal a curious glance at the newly-opened health club near her home in Thiruvananthapuram.

One day, the man who owned it and happened to be a family friend, invited her to have a look inside the gym. A.B. Manju would forever be grateful to M. Humsath for that gesture.

"I wouldn't have become a powerlifter if he hadn't asked me to join his gym," Manju told The Hindu shortly after being adjudged the `strong woman' of the Senior National powerlifting championship, which concluded here on Sunday.

"I had no clue about powerlifting until then, though I already was very much into sports. I was an athlete and had even participated in the State schools meet — in short sprints and long jump. But Mr. Humsath told me that my body was perhaps suited more to powerlifting than athletics."

It did not take her long to prove her mentor right.

he became the `strongwoman' of the State senior championship in 1991 held in her hometown. It was her first meet, and she was just 15.

The same year she took the silver in her first Nationals, at Alappuzha, where she now lives with her husband V.N. Raju — a former powerlifting international — and three children.

She also made her international debut that year, at the World championship in New Delhi.

She came close to winning a medal, finishing fourth. Manju had arrived.

`No mean achievement'

"It's no mean achievement to come fourth in a World meet when you are just 15," says her coach P.J. Joseph. "I was sure that we'd got a lifter of truly international class."

She didn't disappoint him. In 1995 she won the bronze in the World junior meet in New Delhi.

But after her marriage that year, she had to stay out of competition on a few occasions for long periods, on maternity leave.

However, she's been a regular on the domestic circuit since 2003.

The gold she lifted in the 56-kg class at the V.K. Krishna Menon Indoor Stadium here on Saturday was her fifth in the senior Nationals.

"I wasn't expecting to win the `strongwoman' title this year, but I'm very happy that I did — it has been one honour that I have always dreamt of winning."

Now her dreams are international. "Last May, when my hometown hosted the Asian championship, I had to watch it as a spectator. It was painful. That, in fact, is the biggest regret of my career; I felt low. Now, after winning the `strongwoman' title, I'm more confident that I could do well for India again."

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