Sudha Singh - A Woman Of Valour (Part 3)

Sudha Singh - Yet another  courageous Indian  athlete

Picture 1 - Sudha Singh, after winning the 3000m Steeplechase race

The last story of the top Indian victorious girl in Asian Games held in Guangzhou, China, that I would like to talk about is steeplechaser Sudha Singh. During the 3000m steeplechase race,  the Chinese crowd were amazed and entralled with her mark of 9min 55.67sec that had actually captured their hearts although she held off China’s Jin Yuan’s late charge to claim the first prize. Jin Yuan gave off her 100 percent to get the gold and had to give an all out challenge to Sudha challenge to the end. It was neck–to-neck fight and it was left to who will breast the tape first. When Jin Yuan began her final thrust, Sudha must have remembered her Commonwealth Games memory and told herself that she would not repeat the same  mistake, where she ended 5th from 4th position, as she had allowed herself to be pipped.Mustering up all her might and strength, she pipped Jin by just four-hundredths of a second.

Picture 2 - Jin Yuan of China (left) and Sudha Singh (right) putting 100% to win the Asian Games 3000m steeplechase race.




Picture 3 - China's Jin Yuan thought that she had won, Sudha Singh focused on pipping the tape.

Brilliant Coach Nikolai Snesarev from Belarus, it was felt, was responsible for Sudha to tactically win the race and lunge at the finish. The crowd found the race exciting and admired the Indian girl's courage to win the gold and appreciated her valour. She showed to the crowd what  'never say die' attitude was. She remarked, after the race, about the race when earlier she saw three girls in front of her, “whatever happens I am not giving up”.

Picture 4- Sudha Singh hurdling over the steeple easily


This incident reminds us of Qu Yunxia (1500m world record holder) and Wang Junxia (10000m world record holder) when Ma Junren trained the girls, who were actually experiencing poverty at an early age. I knew about this around 1993. By experiencing poverty a person's mind will be stronger as they will tend to appreciate what is given and would be more than willing to work very hard when opportunities are given. A deep sense of appreciation also comes from them. Gratitude to the coach will be found easily from these runners.

Picture 5 - China's Wang Junxia, still the current world record recolder for 10000m came from hardship and poverty when she was young.


Picture 5 - China's long distance glory during early 90s came from athletes who went through hardship and poverty when they were young.

In this story, there is similarity in Preeja Sreedharan (Asian Games, 1st for 10000m and 2nd in 5000m), Kavita Raut (Asian Games, 2nd in 10000m and 3rd in 5000m) and Sudha Singh (Asian Games 3000m steeplechase gold). An amazing fact to understand about these three girls is that they are from small towns villages and come from poverty and rustic background. They were not wealthy. Values like appreciation, gratitude and loyalty would have been steeped in them automatically.

They have proved themselves that with hard work and determination impossible is nothing. Also, they have shown that with big dream one will have the passion to excel, which becomes the most important ingredient for achieving one’s goal in life.

These Indian girls have made India proud as most of the other long distance events went to the middle eastern countries for men and to the Oriental countries like China, Japan and Korea for marathon events and walking events. Without these Indian girls, India would have left the Games empty handed for the middle and long distance events. It must have been a consolation for all the Indian from India to do well in these events.

I believe that from these girls one can draw inspirations from them which show that winning is definitely not a coincidence. 

It should be remembered that it is a very rare sight to see an Indian girl winning the 3000m steeplechase events. Winning in this event clearly shows that anything is possible.

As for India, the National Sports Association should start recruiting potential talents in the remote and rustic parts of India. By providing opportunities like facilities, these developing athletes could get their talents groomed, which will enable the athlete to make the country proud one day.

Picture 6 - Sudha Singh was given an overwhelming support from the Chinese crowd for her display of 'never say die' attitude on the track.

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