Sonam’s journey to winning third place in the women’s elite marathon at the 20th Tata Mumbai Marathon is a testament to her dedication to fulfilling her family’s dreams. Starting her athletics career as a steeplechase runner, Sonam faced a significant setback which included poor financial situation of family to back injury.
This challenge forced her to transition from track events to marathon running, a move guided by her coach, Sanjeev Kumar. It was Kumar who helped her prepare for road racing.
Sonam reveals motivation behind running marathon
Sonam’s motivation behind running marathons was the poor financial condition of her family. Despite poor condition her father provided her financial support with lot of trouble. Speaking exclusively to The Free Press Journal, the 20-year-old runner said
“Kuch Saal pehle papa ne ghar girwi rakaha mere Nagaland mein hue cross country ke liye rakha that. Waha flight see jaan that kyunki train see kaafi ho jata to h papa ne kaha main koshish karunga mujhe uske liye ghar girwi kyu an rakhna pade. Unhone mereko ₹50,000 karwaye flight ke liye. Main kaha agar medal nahi aaya toh. Unhone kaha ki koshish karoge to accha hoga. Mujhe waha silver mila.” (few years ago my father had said that if you are trying to win a medal then I will do everything I can in my power to support you even if I have to mortgage the house. He arranged ₹50,000 for the flights. When I asked him what if I didn’t win the medal then the house would go he replied by saying that if you try good things would happen. I ended up winning silver in the competition)
Sonam reveals fulfilling family’s wish
Sonam revealed her father’s struggle to meet the needs of her family. She said, “My father works in a brickyard. He earns Rs 5000-6000 per month. With the financial condition not being so good, this race motivated me to end my family’s problems and fulfil my sister’s dream of buying good things.
Winning the prize money of ₹1 lakh was a significant achievement for Sonam, especially when trying to loan money from someone else which comes with high interest rates. This prize money has offered Sonam a lifeline.
“For a poor family like us the Rs 1 lakh amount is pretty big. When you ask for financial support people end up taking high interest rates and if the house is kept on a mortgage they try to take away the house in case we don’t end up paying loan money.”
This victory has fueled her ambition to keep running and achieve more success. Sonam’s story is one of resilience, family support and the pursuit of dreams despite daunting odds. The Delhi runner’s achievements not only bring pride but also hope for a better future for her and her family.
