Every athlete in history has defied several norms; some find success early in their careers, some are late bloomers, while others have a journey in the middle. Many have a passage that withstands all expectations and demonstrates that the phrase "age is only a number" is not simply a cliche.
The two women- Madhu Gupta (60) and Namita Sharma (52) from Bhopal of Madhya Pradesh, will participate in swimming trials for the 18th National Masters Championships 2022, to be held in Ambala in Haryana from November 25-27.
'Never Imagined Pursuing Swimming As Career'
Madhu Gupta is a 60-year-old retired banker who has been swimming for the last 22 years. After her retirement on October 31, she decided to try something new for herself and start a career in swimming.
Madhu stated, "I've always loved swimming, but I never imagined pursuing it after retirement. I never expected to train for a competition or a tournament, and it was only a hobby."
When asked about her expectations from the trials, she told The Logical Indian that up until this point, everything has been for fun, but now is the time to take it seriously and turn it into a successful career.
'Family Has Always Been Supportive'
Namita Sharma, the 52-year-old BSNL employee, will take part in trials for the second time. She has been swimming for the past 15 years, but she never gave it a try professionally since she was so focused on her academics. Now, however, she has decided to give her hobby a chance.
Namita, when asked how her family responded, "Although my kids were surprised when I participated in the trials for the first time, my family has always been supportive. Even though I am aware that the competition would be extremely challenging and that the competitors there have more experience than us novices, I will still be happy if I take home a gold."