Hillside lockdown training boosts Rujula Bhonsle

Rujula Bhonsle

Maharashtra clinched 29 medals at the recently concluded 36th National Junior Athletics Championships in Guwahati. This haul included eight gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze medals. Pune-based Rujula Bhonsle, 13, provided another honour for the state through a record-breaking performance in the Girls 60m category, a 7.96secs triumph that got her the best athlete award.

Rujula struck gold with a new national and state record in the U-14 section; the previous mark being KV Roshini's 8.29secs at Ranchi in 2007.

"I was confident of clocking my best in Guwahati, but I did not expect to set a national record," Rujula told mid-day.com from Pune on Friday.
The Class VIII student of Dyan Prabodhini School in Pune was initially cautious considering the well-built athletes from other states.
"Most competitors were really tough. Athletes from Haryana and some other states looked very strong and seeing their height and body structure depressed other athletes. However, I was confident of giving my best, which ultimately fetched me the gold," added Rujula.

Her coach, Arvind Chavan revealed how her ward prepared for the nationals despite losing a lot training time due to the Coronavirus-forced lockdown. "We started training at the hillside and forest areas of Taljai Tekdi, near Pune in September. Our emphasis was running on the hills, and skipping. Later, we trained on a normal ground," the coach said.

Chavan, who has been guiding Rujula for the last three years, was expecting a dominating show at the Guwahati nationals. "She is a born athlete and possesses good speed and sprinting qualities. She is different and we are expecting a good performance from her at the international level," added Chavan.
The other sprinter to impress all in Guwahati was Satara's Sudeshna Shivankar, who won the 200m gold in the Girls U-18 category with a timings of 24.65secs. She had to be satisfied with a bronze in the 100m with a timing of 12.11secs.

Saniya Sawant of Mumbai triumphed in the Girls U-16 100m, securing a gold medal in 12.61secs.

Avantika Narale of Pune (U-18, 100m), Riya Patil of Kolhapur (U-18, 800m), Rinki Pawara of Nashik (U-18, 3000m), Shweta Chikodi of Kolhapur (U-18, 400m hurdles) and Siddhesh Choudhari, Pune (Boys U-18, 400m hurdles) were the other Maharashtra gold medal-winning athletes.