Tokyo bound Indian discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur revealed that she has sleepless nights ahead of any event. It was no different ahead of the Indian Grand Prix 4 at Patiala. Kaur was quick to set the tone as she broke her own national record with a throw of 66.59 metres.
Due to the pandemic, foreign training trips were cancelled hence this event at the Indian Grand Prix 4 was organised. She was the only participant in this event. While she was pleased with her efforts of improving from last time, her disappointment was missing the 67 metres mark.
“My aim wasn’t to break the national record but to hurl a big throw of close to 67m and set the tone for the Olympics,” she said in an interview with the Indian Express.
“I am aiming for a distance that will ensure me a spot on the podium. At the Olympics it doesn’t matter how far the other competitors throw, I am targeting 69m and I won’t be satisfied with anything less.”
Kamalpreet Kaur has improved leaps and bounds in recent months. Her best record was her 65.06m throw at the Federation Cup back in March. Before that a few months ago her best was around 62m. So we can see the growth and all of that she has achieved without going to the ground regularly due to the pandemic. She found out new methods of keeping herself fit and reaching her goals by using household items.
“I used the double bed at home as weights. The bed is filled with clothes so I used it for my deadlift exercises,” she had said in March. “I used the flower pots at home as dumbbells. I did all the exercises I could at home and ran in the fields.”
She has shown tremendous dedication for an athlete who was reluctant to take up the sport. She only took it up professionally in 2012. Her coach forced her to compete and once she came fourth in a state meet but that was her turning point in life.
“I finished fourth at a state meet but everyone told me I had a good physique. Then I thought ‘let’s give sports a try as I am not that great at studies.’ My coach was a discus coach so I took it up,” she reminisced.
Her throw at the Indian Grand Prix 4 would have earned her a Bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. So things are swinging in the right direction for Kamalpreet. Some of the Indian fans have already started calling her one of India’s medal hopefuls. However, Kamalprret knows that a place on the podium of the Olympics won’t come that easy.
“I want to bring a medal from Tokyo. I don’t want to think about anything else,” she signed off.
