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Racing Against Stereotypes! Steeplechase Champion To Be Honoured With Sports Gold Medal At LU Convocation
Writer: Jayali Wavhal
She writes about gender issues, human interest, and environment.
Uttar Pradesh, 16 Jan 2023 7:49 AM GMT
Editor : Shiva Chaudhary |
A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication with relevant skills, specialising in content editing & writing. I believe in the precise dissemination of information based on facts to the public.
Creatives : Jayali Wavhal
She writes about gender issues, human interest, and environment.
Kajal Sharma was raised in Hapur as the daughter of a landless farmer who started to train her when she was ten. Since her village had no facilities, she would go for her daily practice from 4-7 am and ride a bicycle to another village to attend school.
Kajal Sharma, a third-year BA student who won the 3,000-meter steeplechase competition last year, has been chosen for this year's Pirie Memorial Gold Medal in the field of athletics. She will be honoured at Lucknow University's convocation event on January 21.
Sharma was competing not only on the track but also against stereotypes and the ridicule that results when contested, but steeplechase does include obstacles. She was raised in the Hapur district of Uttar Pradesh as the daughter of a landless farmer. When she was just ten years old, her father, Devendra Sharma, started to train her.
Beating Social Prejudices & Financial Odds
Family, friends, and the villagers were against her father. People frequently judged and made crude remarks about him when Kajal went for a practice run with other boys in the dark hours of early morning.
Since her village had no school or sports facilities, Kajal would go for her daily practice run from 4 am to 7 am. "On several occasions, when we practised in the dark, dogs chased us," Kajal said. At 8 am, she would ride her bicycle 4 km to another village to attend a government school where she met Prashant, a fellow sportsperson. Prashant informed her that if she performed well in the hostel trials held by KD Singh Babu Stadium, Lucknow, she would receive free training and education.
Kajal immediately decided to pursue this opportunity. She was 15 at the time. She found accommodation in the hostel dormitory for the following two years and finished her education before entering the national athletics scene. She enrolled in Lucknow University's BA programme in 2020 following a victorious performance at the championships.
Grateful For Family's Support
She is now engaged to Prashant, who supported her unflinchingly and gave up his own sports career to help shape hers. "I dedicate this medal to my father and my fiancé Prashant," said Kajal. She is presently doing her graduation in home science at the Lucknow University-affiliated CB Gupta Mahavidyalaya, which is located in Bakshi Ka Talab.
According to Hindustan Times, Kajal added, "My father Devendra Sharma wanted to see me as an athlete. I dedicate my steeplechase race win to him. My coach has also worked very hard. Kajal has won 20 medals in steeplechase running at the national level, including medals in the 3 km steeplechase in Khelo India 2022, Bengaluru, Cross-Country National 2020 and 2021 and others.
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