Date:03/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/03/stories/2008070360132000.htm

Sport - Athletics

Soma Biswas retires

— File photo

Soma Biswas.

KOLKATA: Heptathlete Soma Biswas, on Wednesday, announced her retirement from the sport on Wednesday.

“I feel I have attained the targets I aimed in my career,” she said.

“I was not enjoying the rigorous training routine and thus decided to quit competitive athletics,” she added while announcing her decision at a news conference organised by the Calcutta Sports Journalists’ Club on the occasion of World sports journalists’ day.

Biswas, who turned 31 in May, said she had wished to participate in the upcoming Beijing Olympics, which would have been her third appearance in the world event.

“I was performing well and was sure of making the qualifying grade for the Beijing Games,” she said. “But on the day of the event everything went wrong and I could not show the desired fitness,” Biswas said.

“I have no regrets and am happy with the two Asian Games silvers (won in Busan 2002 and Doha 2006), which I think are the high points in my career,” she said. — Principal Correspondent