Heptathlete Swapna Barman claimed a gold medal at the inter-state athletics, which concluded in Bhubaneswar on Monday, by gathering 5918 points in the combined seven events over two days. She thereby went past the Asian Games qualifying mark of 5654 aggregate points.
But beyond mere facts and numbers is a golden story of grit, something which Swapna has aplenty. She has been carrying a spine injury for the last few years which got aggravated sometime back and she had to be in hospital in May to take pain-killing injections on her spine.
“I could barely practise for two weeks prior to the inter-state meet,” Swapna told The Telegraph. “Hence the gold — and with it the qualification for Asian Games — came as a big morale booster.”
One still recalls the picture of Swapna celebrating with her Asian Games gold in Incheon in 2018, her jaw in a bandage as she was suffering from a gum infection and did her events under excruciating pain.
The story of the girl with six toes who didn’t even have a pair of comfortable shoes to run in had captured people’s imagination.
But defending her title in heptathlon with a spine injury is a different ball game. Did she not ponder surgery?
“No,” said Swapna, who represented Madhya Pradesh at the inter-state meet. “Surgery will keep me out of training for several months. And I intend to take another shot at defending my Asian Games gold.”
Swapna’s performance has also pleased long-time coach and mentor Subhas Sarkar. “I had given her a target of 5800-5900. She bettered it and no doubt I’m happy.”
But he admits her injury is a big challenge which they are trying to manage as best as possible. “We have tweaked her training pattern so as not to aggravate her injury. Am focusing on indirect methods of training for her. One big plus in all of this is her tremendous mental strength and ability to overcome the odds.
“Should there be no setbacks, I expect Swapna to give her life’s best performance in Hangzhou (China),” said the coach.
Does the Athletics Federation of India have a say in whether an athlete with a spine injury can and should take part in such a strenuous event in an international meet?
“Heptathlon is an individual event and if a person qualifies for an individual international event — as Swapna has in this case — the federation cannot stop her from going ahead,” Anju Bobbu George, AFI vice-president and a bronze medallist in long jump at the 2003 World Championships in France, told The Telegraph.
“But then, an athlete of her stature and her coach would never take a rash decision that may put her at the risk of a bigger injury. Doubtless, she and her coach would discuss with doctors and physios the depth of her injury and then take a decision.
“Over and above,” continued Anju, “if at any point the athlete approaches the federation with a request for help, the federation would certainly extend all help and support.”
As of now, the 26-year-old Swapna is focused on the Asian Championships in Pattaya in July. The bi-annual meet will be held after a gap of four years.
Is she not putting herself at risk by taking part in an international meet before the Asian Games? Swapna doesn’t think so. “It’s the next big meet on the Asian circuit after the Asian Games. I’ve got to test my mettle against the big names on the circuit.”
