From childhood restrictions to worldwide glory, a septuagenarian’s exceptional athletic journey

Vasanthi Ok. with the medals she has gained through the years.
| Photograph Credit score: SURESH ALLEPPEY

Vasanthi Ok., a 75-year-old girl from Varanad, close to Cherthala, in Alappuzha, has skilled a journey to success that was removed from clean. As a toddler, she confronted stiff opposition from her household, who, adhering to societal norms of the time, didn’t permit her to take part in sports activities. Nevertheless, in her later years, Vasanthi made up for misplaced time by competing in State, Nationwide and worldwide masters athletic championships, successful a number of medals alongside the way in which.

Final week, the septuagenarian was chosen for this yr’s Vayosevana award, instituted by the Social Justice division for excellence in sports activities. “The popularity is actually the icing on the cake,” she says.

Vasanthi took up athletics critically after becoming a member of McDowell’s distillery unit at Varanad in 1982.

“Throughout my childhood, I used to be enthusiastic about sports activities, however my mother and father didn’t permit me to coach or take part in occasions, as most households didn’t allow ladies to participate in sports activities on the time. That stated, I participated in a couple of competitions throughout my college days with out informing my mother and father. Nevertheless, my sports activities profession took off after becoming a member of McDowell’s,” says Ms. Vasanthi.

Initially, she competed within the company-organised sports activities meets, earlier than advancing to nationwide and worldwide masters athletics occasions. After taking voluntary retirement in 2003, she started collaborating in additional sports activities meets.

In 2016, Vasanthi gained silver medals within the 5 km race stroll and a couple of,000 m steeplechase at a global masters occasion in Singapore. She adopted this success with bronze medals in the identical occasions at a meet in China the following yr. Returning to the worldwide stage in 2023 in Dubai, she secured gold within the 3 km stroll and bronze medals within the 200 m and 400 m dash occasions.

Within the Worldwide Masters Athletics Championship held in Ayodhya in June this yr, the septuagenarian gained gold medals within the 5 km stroll and lengthy leap, demonstrating her enduring athletic prowess. “I’ve been collaborating in masters championships for greater than three a long time. I stroll at the very least 3-4 km each morning. I’m trying ahead to approaching occasions,” says Ms. Vasanthi, noting that she plans to focus extra on race strolling sooner or later.

Praveen G. Panicker, the native ward member, describes her as a “position mannequin for the complete area, particularly the children.”
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