Tue, Oct 12 10 07:51 PM
New Delhi, Oct 12 (PTI) Toast of the country after fetching India''s first Commonwealth Games gold medal in 52 years yesterday, discus thrower Krishna Poonia could not hide for long the mother in her as she almost broke down while recounting how she had to be away from her son in search of one aim -- to strike a yellow metal in the quadrennial mega event. Poonia said she had not spent much time together with her son in the past two years because of hectic training schedule, including foreign tours, but felt it had been made up by the gold she gave to the country, the first one after ''Flying Sikh'' Milkha Singh won it in 1958 edition in Cardiff, Wales. "It was extremely tough. If you have a small child you will know it. Myself and my husband (who is also her coach) have not been with our son (Lakshya Raj Poonia) even for a month at a stretch because of the hectic training schedule, including foreign tours," Poonia said, barely being able to fight tears. "I have been training at NIS Patiala. I had also been in USA and just before the Games I had been to Ukraine and so I have been far away from my child. But after winning gold for the country after 52 years I feel I have not been away from my child for so long for nothing. I am satisfied that I have done something for the country by sacrificing my time with my child," she told at a press conference, with her husband Virender Poonia by her side. Asked to whom she would dedicate her gold medal, Poonia said, "I would not have been speaking to you today had my husband not supported me all through. So I dedicate my gold medal to my husband and my son. One was very near to me and the other far (while training). He (Lakshya) had his examination yesterday but he could make it to the stadium after it." Her husband Virender said he and Poonia did not worry much about their son as he was looked after by his brothers'' family. "We are a joint family, so Lakshya was looked after by my two brothers and their wives in our absence," he said. Poonia felt it was not right for some top athletes to cite security and other concerns as reasons for pulling out of the Games and said India can host big sporting events "successfully". "I think it was not right for athletes to cite security reasons for pulling out. India can provide security to our guests. The Games are going on successfully and we have shown that India can host big events successfully," she said. The 28 year-old Poonia said despite the absence of world champion Dani Samuels the discus throw competition was a tough one. "I don''t know why she (Samuels) had pulled out. But even without her the competition was very tough. There was the defending champion (Elizna Naude of South Africa) and former world champion (Beatrice Faumuina of New Zealand)," she said. Poonia said she expects a revival of athletics just like the success of Abhinav Bindra, Vijender Singh and Sushil Kumar had raised the profile of their respective sports in the country. "The performance of Abhinav, Vijender and Sushil had revived and raised the profile of their respective sports. I hope athletics will be revived after India''s performance in the Commonwealth Games. We have already won seven medals and more will come. I am looking for gold in the Asian Games and if we keep on doing well the profile of athletics will be raised," said Poonia who was born and brought up in Agroha village in Kurukshetra district in Haryana. .
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