Manipur Medal-miners Dig Deep Again
Indraneel Das | ENS | New Indian Express | GLASGOW: 26th July 2014
Weightlifters Sanjita Chanu (L) and Mirabai Chanu (R) with coach Kunjarani Devi
It�s a hallowed turf for all Manipuri athletes. The names of Dingko Singh, L Sarita Devi, MC Mary Kom, Kunjarani Devi, Sanamacha Chanu are just a few of the many etched on the walls of the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex in Manipur�s capital Imphal. There�s a common thread that binds them. All are champion sportspersons. All of them have been conferred with the Arjuna. They have also been Asian or Commonwealth Games medallists or world champions. Now, four more names will be added to the list, very soon. On Thursday, four Manipuri girls stepped on the podium at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. All are from humble backgrounds, trying to eke out a living through a sport they call life. For them, like most Manipuri athletes, it�s a way to liberation, a path to better life. "What happened in weightlifting?" asked L Sushila Devi after winning silver in -48kg judo. Two of her friends from the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex were competing in 48kg women�s weightlifting. K Sanjita Chanu won gold and Mirabai Chanu silver. In judo, two won medals � silver and bronze (Kalpana Devi).
Of the four, three shared the same SAG Sports Authority of India hostel in Khuman Lampak. They still remember the days when they used to go to the small pond and wash clothes and dishes while spending time there to hone their talent. Wherever they go, the �pond� memories always take them to their roots. It�s an elixir that motivates them in times of sorrow and dejection. �We keep telling ourselves we have to do better and better,� said Sushila. Kalpana, a few years senior to Sushila, used to live in the same premises three years before her in 2003. �That hall where we practise has produced many champions. The names on the walls keep motivating us,� she said. Kunjarani, one of the pioneers who revolutionised the sport in Manipur, is proud of her state. �We have delivered and our women�s teams have been exceptional,� said the diminutive former weightlifter. �Though we don�t have world-class facilities in Imphal, we have good coaches and a good legacy. Whatever be India�s final standings, the opening day of the XX Commonwealth Games will be remembered for four athletes from the same region winning medals for the country.
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* This Post is uploaded on July 26, 2014
