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This weight ain't light

Two young State Champions aiming big in weightlifting

Photo: M. Moorthy

COMPETITIVE Willing to go higher

They are determined and dare to dream big. And the faith they have in their abilities has played a role in their progress. Rather than blaming the lack of infrastructure, they have made full use of the opportunities available.

Meet the duo, State Champions in weightlifting R. Vijayalakshmi and A. Jhansi Rani, both students of Urumu Dhanalakshmi College. Vijayalakshmi, adjudged the best lifter at the championship, is doubly happy as she has also been selected to participate in the Nationals. Her first love was discuss throw but was advised by her college Physical Education Director, Sivakumar to pursue weightlifting as he felt she had better prospect in the game.

Maiden title

The youngster lived up to the expectation as she won the title at the Bharathidasan University inter-collegiate tournament in her maiden appearance. Excited by the result, she thought of taking the sport seriously and started practicing under Somasundaram, a former national lifter. "It was a turning point in my career as I started learning the nuances of weightlifting in a more professional manner," says Vijayalakshmi. She also tried her hand at Powerlifting and has won titles at the district-level competitions. But stopped continuing it as her coach felt that it might cause injuries and halt her progress as a weightlifter.

Although Vijayalaksmi feels she has a long way to go to succeed at the national level, her coach Somasundaram is confident that she has it in her to be a National champion in a year's time. "I am very happy with her progress and most importantly she is willing to learn and ready to work hard. I give her the Bulgarian way of training, which is considered to be the toughest," he says.

Aspires to become trainer

On the other hand, Jhansi, who hails from Pattukottai aspires to become a trainer. She cites the lack of women coaches in the country as the reason for her decision. "Over the years the sport has changed a lot and there is certainly a need to master the technical aspects of the game, which many have failed to do so," she says. Jhansi wishes to pursue a Diploma course in coaching at National Institute of Sports at Patiala for which she needs to represent her University at least twice.

At the recently concluded All inter-University Weightlifitng Championship in Amristar, she finished fifth. "It was a disappointing performance but the weather played the spoilsport. It was minus three degrees Celsius and I was freezing," she rues.

The college management has been supporting the two with fee concessions.

"The sport has become very costly these days going beyond the reach of district level lifters. Our college has produced State champions in weightlifting for the past four years and certainly we want to encourage more such performers in the coming years," says Sivakumar.

G. PRASAD

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