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On the right track
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Athlete Soma Biswas remains in the same official position even after winning a silver in the heptathlon event at the Busan Asian Games. But she is determined to train rigorously in Italy on an invitation and is on the look out for sponsors to go there. This ace athlete is gunning for a berth in the World Championship to be held in Paris this August, writes V.V. SUBRAHMANYAM.
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REIGNING CHAMP: Soma Biswas. — Photo: K. Ramesh Babu
SHE WAS a head clerk in the Eastern Railway before leaving for the Busan Asian Games last year. And, more than seven months after winning a silver in the heptathlon event, Soma Biswas continues to be in the same position. That's the story of the much-publicised policies of encouraging outstanding sportspersons!
But, the 25-year-old Biswas is determined to put behind these disappointments and concentrate on where she is better known - the world of athletics. It has not certainly been a smooth transition for this Bengal athlete who started off as a long jumper and then switched over to heptathlon at the instance of her coach Dr. Puntal Roy and his wife Subrojo Roy. They felt that since she lacked the basic speed, heptathlon could be better suited for her. And it turned to be a perfect assessment for Biswas has been the reigning national champion for the last three years after making her first big mark in the Junior Asian Track & Field Meet in Delhi in 1995. The plain fact that she missed the gold by just 12 points could put in proper perspective the grit and talent of this lanky athlete.
Now gunning for a berth in the World Championship in Paris this August, Biswas is planning to have a training schedule in Italy on an invitation. In fact she has been there last month and finished with a disappointing 5315 points, well below her national best of 6186 in the 2000 Inter-State athletic meet, to be placed 10th in overall standings. Yet, that good showing got her the invitation to Italy for a training programme. "I am still working on it. We will know about the exact budget for training there. And, I hope to get the necessary help from the Sports Authority of India and the Government,'' she said to another query. The heptathlon expert feels that it is imperative for her to train to realise the dream of clinching a place in the World championship. "The mere fact that you train and compete with the best in the world makes a lot of difference and you don't have such sports atmosphere and the facilities here,'' she says.
Biswas has an interesting observation when asked what separates the Indian athletes and the best in the world. "Personally, I was delighted at winning the silver in the Busan Asian Games. And when I went there to see some of the big names win the European meets and compete with the same determination in other events I was really surprised. They just seem to forget their recent results and stay focussed for the task ahead. They simply enjoy competing with the best and are very strong mentally. They seem to take sports as a hobby and enjoy it thoroughly. That we badly lack,'' is her explanation.
The gifted athlete is hoping to rope in a sponsor if at all she gets the slot in the World Championship for which the selection trials will be held in Hyderabad in July and the qualifying mark is expected to be 6000 points. However, she is grateful to the Amateur Athletic Federation of India for doing its best to promote the athletes against all odds. And, since the Grand Prix series doesn't feature heptathlon, Soma Biswas is not keen in competing in the other three-legs. "I am not keen in taking part in the long jump,'' she said to a query.
Biswas, who was sharing some thoughts with local star athlete Satti Geetha in the hotel room a day before the Asian Grand Prix first-leg in Hyderabad, has a very high impression of the Andhra athlete. "She is young and has the talent. All she needs is the determination to do well under trying circumstances. She was in the reserve squad of the relay event for the last Asian Games and I hope she will be main member for the next edition,'' complimented Biswas even as Geetha was mentally gearing up for her maiden Asian Grand Prix exposure.
For someone who is ranked No.2 in India in 100 m hurdles with a career-best showing of 13.78 sec last year, Biswas is pinning lot of hopes on the training programme. Quite strangely, her Asian Games silver made the Bengal Government give a cash incentive of Rs.1 lakh and nothing else. Apparently, she is looking for something more when she believes that she is peaking in her career.
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