Running Her Own Race: M.R. Poovamma

MR Poovamma: I'm MR Poovamma. I'm Arjuna Awardee. I have represented at the Olympics — 2008, 2016, and 2024 — and an Arjuna Awardee recipient in the year 2015.

So, won multiple medals in the Asian Games and the Asian Championships. Currently, I'm working for ONGC department as an HR manager, so, continuing my sports career.

MR Poovamma: Actually, in the year 2021, the Olympics was the main target, and I was already the capable athlete. We had — the team had — qualified for the mixed relay, so I was about to be in the team, and I was one of the members, because in the trial at the Federation Cup, I was at the top two. So it was sure that I had to make the team. But because of the doping scandal issue, I couldn't make it. So, it is a long story. I wanted to make a comeback because, for me, sports is like a… I'm addicted to it, so I can't give up. So, my parents and my husband — they supported me very well.

Because once that situation happens, everyone will be demotivated. So, they are the ones who motivated me and made me a comeback. And my husband trained me when I was in Pune; my coach, Galina, who was at the camp, was sending me the program. So, altogether, with everyone's support, I could give a comeback. So, it was very important, because I'm such a stubborn athlete — I don't want to give up. Since that Olympics went away from me, I wanted to be in another Olympics. So, I made it, and I'm very happy that I've made a very good comeback at this age.

MR Poovamma: No, actually I didn't have that mind to continue. But, one side I was thinking like, I think I can do a comeback — it is only three more years. But when everyone thinks that, three more years is really a very good gap, because after a doping ban of two years without any competition, it's very difficult to make a comeback. But the planning was like that. My coach and my husband planned the program in that way. I used to run many four hundreds in the practice itself, so I should not make a gap from it. Once we lose the touch from it, it's very difficult to make a comeback. So, because it was a provisional suspension, I could — until the ban was announced — I could compete in the competition. So, I didn't give up, and I tried competing how much possible, so that everything made it possible.

MR Poovamma: First, at the beginning, what I want to — like, I'm not told in detail about my doping situation. February 18th, they had taken my urine sample, so it was tested positive. Even now, I'm not able to know what exactly happened. Because February 19th, they had taken my blood test — that was negative. And again, February 24th, there was a urine sample — even that was negative. Only this was the thing which was positive. So, even until now, I couldn't make out what had happened. The past is past; I don't want to recall about it.

People keep saying a lot, but many people who know me, they know it was unintentional. So, after that, I had got a three-month ban. Then the appeal panel — they extended it to two, two years, but they had not mentioned the date of the exact… like, from when I can start. But usually, it should be from back date.

So, then I thought it would be from back date, because we had sent several mails to NADA about it, but they didn't respond. So, then we assumed it is from back date. So, the back date got over before the Sri Lanka competition, and I was very excited to do that competition, because I was waiting to come back and run on the track. What had happened is, before the Sri Lanka meet — two, three days before — I had a severe fever. So, even though the ticket, everything was booked to the place, Sri Lanka, and I had to compete, I couldn't do well, but I was happy that I could make a comeback from there.

So then, after that, since I had competed in Sri Lanka, they sent me a notice again: the ban period was not over. Again, they had extended the notice. Because before that, the FI had sent the mail to NADA, like we're all eligible for the competition. So, my name was there — I'm eligible for the competition. So, accordingly to the rules, I had been there to the competition. It was not like I had been against to that. Then after that, they had sent me a mail. Then we went to the Kerala High Court, because they had asked me a reply for why I had competed there. I had explained to them, but they didn't agree for that. So, I had been to the Kerala High Court — so the judge and the lawyer were very supportive and they fought, and I got the ban period from the back date. So, this is all what happened.

MR Poovamma: Yeah, because in the year 2008, I was the youngest member in the team. So, that time, it was like—being an Olympian athlete is a great achievement. It's everyone's dream in sports and career to be an Olympian athlete. At the age of 18, I had been there. So, for me, it was like, okay, I'm an Olympic. But after going there, seeing athletes winning medals…

And in the year 2012, I wanted to make the team, but our team didn't get qualified, and I was injured with my back — disc bulge. Even in individual, I couldn't get qualified. So, then I waited for next four more years.

So, 2016, we came back. Even that time, we were [00:07:00] almost senior athletes — all team: Tintu Luka, myself, Nirmala, everyone. So, we made the team. In 2024, I was one of the main — I mean, the senior athlete. Everyone were 10 years junior to me.

So, nowadays, athletes are very cooperative, and we were like a team, and we wanted to give a good timing. So, we couldn't achieve what we had planned, because on that day, on that situation, anything can happen. So, we can't blame anyone.

MR Poovamma: Yeah, because of them. When I started my sporting career, we were in a place where there was no stadium or no coaches. So, my dad, he shifted to the place where I could get all the facilities. So, he should have gone up and down. He went… like, he was on the work in the Mangalore airport, so he used to go up and down for the work. And I know it is very difficult, but for their children, he has done a lot.

And my mom — even until now — she's traveling with me for every competition. She has not missed any of the competitions. And even my brother, he's an athlete. He was interested in sports, but he got injured. His knee got surgery, and he motivated me: “You can do it.” Even when I had a problem in 2012 with the disc bulge, I didn't want to tell my parents about the situation — what I was suffering — because they will be tensed. So, it was him whom I had told everything.

I was very demotivated. I thought of quitting sports because it was a very major injury. So, he was the one who told, “You do how much you can, we'll see. If you can come back, okay, good. If you can't, okay, no problem. Just work hard. We'll see.” So, then I came back; won a medal at 2014. Then my sporting career continued the same.

And 2021, I got married. Everyone, after getting married, they think about having a family and everything. But my husband… he knows how much I love sports, because even he's an international athlete. Everyone knows how much I'm, uh, very passionate about sports. More than that, he knows it. So, even when everyone told like, “You are already thirty-four, you need to plan the family and everything,” he was the one: “No. Till when you want, you do sports. Let them tell what they want. I'm there for your support.”

Even my parents supported it. Every parent's dream is to have a kid, to see their grandchild. So, it was very difficult to make them understand. But we're trying to get into it. I'm planning to do till Asian Games. We'll see how it goes.

I know I'm already getting older, but for me, age is nothing. I know I have clocked a good timing. I used to clock at the age of 24. So, even after 10 years, I'm clocking the same time. So, I am pretty sure I can do the same timing even for the next upcoming competitions. So, hoping for the best.

MR Poovamma: What I can say is: they need to be focused. No matter, success and failure is part of life. You can win, or you can lose. But when you lose, you should make up your mind. See where the mistakes are, try to overcome it, and keep working on it. Just have the discipline and hard work — it is everything that matters. Now, when we used to do sports, there was not much support. But now, there are a lot of sponsors. 

Even the government is supporting very well — the Khelo India scheme — and there are even the diet, allowance… everything has been increased when compared to the time when we were doing sports. So, all the support is going on well. And the main thing — what they have to do — is just keep focus. Don't even think, like at the very first attempt you have to win a medal or you have to win a national medal. It is very difficult. Even I have won, lost at the beginning. Even I had not won the National Medal or State Medal. It was just the beginning. So, just keep working hard. No matter what it'll be, your hard work will surely pay off.

MR Poovamma: It depends upon the athlete, how they take the sport. When I'd been to the Olympics, 2008, I was, uh, very antsy. So, it was like only, “I had to be with the Olympics.” It was like already, “I'm in to Olympic.” That mindset was different.

So, after that, when I got experience with every international competition, we need to be focused — like physically, not only on the track, but outside the track, whatever the sleep pattern might be. And the food — what we eat — with the dietician. And now, there are a lot of psychological experts also. You can consult them if you are very scared to be on the track or compete with the opponents. Even I have faced a lot of things. It's common with every athlete.

It is not like all the athletes are very strong and they can face all the opponents — so it's very difficult to face them. Just be focused. You are running on your track. Just be focused on your track — what race you are running. Just keep in mindset what timing you have to block, no matter who is on your left side or who is on your right side. Just keep focused and just run your race — what you’ve worked hard, the timing will show.

MR Poovamma: Yeah, even I'm a graduate. It is difficult to balance both, but if we have that positive attitude, you can do it. Because when I used to do sports and academics, we had that permission to come early [00:13:00] to the ground. And even now, everyone is having that facility.

And there are other facilities of grace marks in some states; so if they compete in national level or international, they have some grace marks for their results. And the sports quota jobs. There are so many athletes pursuing their education. When we compare to the other countries, the Olympic medallists are pursuing their education. Even now, some are psychologists, some are into engineering, some are into medical.

So, when they can do it, why can't we do it? So, it depends upon how we take the — like, maybe the sports or the education. If we want to pursue both, it depends upon us how we can make into it.

MR Poovamma: It is nothing like a very strict diet or a strict pattern I’ve followed. Seven o'clock to nine o'clock will be the training. Then come back, have breakfast, have a quick nap, then have lunch. Then, go for the evening training, come back, have dinner. So, it's a common schedule. It is nothing like… “To do the sports we have to continue some strict schedule.” If we are into that strict schedule, it's very difficult to be mentally strong. If we have that normal schedule, our life will be the same normal — because when we quit sports, it will be very difficult to accept it. 

So, even now, I'm not able to think about the retirement. So, my mindset is still the same when I was at the young age. Even now, I'm in the same mindset. I have not planned anything because I'm still into this sport, so I have not thought anything about it. I have that in my mind — to have a sports academy — so if the state government will give support and everything. Because, by myself, I can't do anything. We need sponsors, we need that support from the government or all the sponsors. 

Then only we can do it. Because, by my individually, I can't plan everything. There are so many good athletes in the rural area — because in the cities, they have all the facilities, but in rural areas, they need to have those facilities. So, once I get retired, then I will think slowly. It takes time to plan everything. So, at present, I'm focusing on my sporting career.

MR Poovamma: For young athletes, what I want to say is: keep working hard. That is what all matters. No matter you win or lose, it is part of the sports life. So, keep working hard, having a positive mindset. And for parents, what I want to say is: allow your kids to take part in any extracurricular activities. It keeps them physically and mentally fit. Nowadays, the children are totally into the… addicted to the phones and everything, so keep sending them to any games which they prefer. 

So, it'll keep them really mentally and physically fit and get away from all those. Uh, once they get tired, they'll come back to sleep and don't need to get into all those phones and everything. So, it'll keep them positively strong to work hard. So, this is what all I want to say. And for future athletes: age is just a number. Keep working hard; consistency is all what matters. So, I wish everyone all the very best. I wish many more Olympians come from our country, from our state — especially from the place where I was there, from Mangalore. So, I wish everyone all the best.