This is the story of a 30-year-old, 800-m Asian Athletics Championships gold medal winner, Gomathi Marimuthu. She hails from a village near Tiruchi and is the daughter of a farmer. When she completed the race in Doha and stepped onto the podium, the feeling she had was of gratitude, for her father, who made immense sacrifices to make her child reach where she is today.
Look at this incredible run!
Gomathi Marimuthu of India won 800m Gold at Asian Championships in Doha. Sadly no one to even hug/congratulate this 30-yr-old daughter of farmer from a village near Tiruchi. She picks & waves the Indian Flag herself.
That is patriotism!
Jai Hind!! pic.twitter.com/VqTkJJ3dLQ— Lt Gen Satish Dua🇮🇳 (@TheSatishDua) April 25, 2019
Speaking about the hardship she had to go through in her early career, G Marimuthu revealed various heart-wrenching instances. Speaking in the press conference after her win, she said, “When I used to do sports, my father had a leg ailment and he was unable to walk. He had a two-wheeler and that was a big deal for us back then. We did not have good bus facility to go to the city, there was no electricity in my town and the roads weren’t good either.
“If I woke up at 4 a.m., I could catch the 4.30 bus. So my father would wake me up at 4, sharp, putting an alarm. If my mother was not feeling well, my father only would give me water, boil milk… all these things he would only do.”
Congrats #GomathiMarimuthu
You make us proud pic.twitter.com/TaCGAR5wRh— Naveen.M (@NaveenFilmmaker) April 23, 2019
Recalling such events from her earlier life and the hardships her family had to go through makes one thing of the sheer determination the athlete had. “I miss my father. Since I was into sports, and we didn’t have much food, he kept aside some for me and ate cattle feed for himself. I can never forget that one day,” she said as tears rolled down her cheeks. “If only my father was around today, I consider him to be like God.”
With such hardships and no other way out but to succeed, G MariMuthu’s story is an inspiration. She is a living example of the fact that if one has determination and is willing to make sacrifices and work hard, nothing is impossible. We are proud of you G Marimuthu, you made your father proud, you made your family proud and you made the whole nation proud!
