Hyderabad: 'It is very difficult to win a medal in the Olympics'... this is what she was told! But she believed that anything is possible if you work hard. So, her dedication and zeal to excel resulted in an Olympic medal for the country. Karnam Malleswari was the architect of the story who became the first Indian woman to bag an Olympic medal thanks to her dedication and hard work. When 'ETV Bharat' greeted this Telugu luminary, she narrated the sequence of events which transpired into her opting for the sport as a profession.
''I was born and brought up in Srikakulam district. My elder sister and some girls were doing weightlifting and I wanted to learn. But the coach looked at me and said, 'You are not fit for weightlifting, and better to start helping your mother with housework'. That word made me angry. How do others decide what I can and cannot do? I had the determination to practice well and win medals. There is no coach. I learned at the age of 12 to look at others. Practised in clay with old equipment," she told ETV Bharat.
Karnam revealed that she went to the national camp with her sister and the coach spotted her talent there.
''The 1990 Asian Games Trials were held at the NIA Centre, Bangalore (now Bengaluru). My elder sister was there in the camp, and I went along with my uncles. I was sitting in a corner of the camp watching the players. I came at 8 a.m. Even though it was 9 at night, I was still watching without going to eat. Russian coach Nadi Rebakon called me and asked 'Do you like weightlifting? Have you practised? tell me more about you. He gave girls costumes and asked me to show how much I could snatch. I have done it. He recognised my talent and put me in the national camp. He gave me an opportunity in spite of the fact that I didn't play at the district level. He gave coaching for ten months''
Reflecting on her struggles, she stated that getting a proper meal was the toughest challenge she faced in the competition.
''There were many difficulties while going to competitions in other countries. I always focused on competitions and my performance. It was very difficult to get a proper meal back then. Our management did not have faith in us. By saying "No girl has won a medal in these 100 years", So many discouraged us. Compared to then, the facilities are more now. There was only one coach. But now they are training abroad. Doctor, physiotherapist, massager...up to ten people are going along with the athlete. At that time the government gave me Rs.6 lakhs, now they are giving crores of rupees to winners," she added.
