Asian Games have given Indian sports some gloriously shining moments, with many gold, silver and bronze medal being won over by our athletes. For once, folks across nation are rejoicing other sports besides cricket – and it is certainly serving as a breath of fresh air.
As the players bring glory and pride to the nation, their stories have also highlighted the kind of struggles and adversities they overcome, without much help from sports ministry, to achieve their individual goals.
Pincky Balhara – overcame such adversities to strike a silver medal for the country in Women’s Kurash 52 kg event.
The 19 year old athlete from Delhi, trained for the competition while bearing the loss of three close family members all in the span of only 3 months. Despite having to deal with the passing one after another, Pincky did not let her determination deter from the path as she continued to channel all her emotions towards training herself hard.
And the result is right in front of you!
In an interview with Times Of India, Pincky said:
“That was the worst phase of my life. I lost my cousin brother first, then my father to a heart attack and then my grandfather a month later. It happened just so quickly.
My father passed away a few days after I had made it to the Asian Games Team. He was so happy about my selection.”
Pincky found support through her other family members, especially her uncle Samundar Tokas.
Soon after completing her father’s last rites, Pincky was left with merely 5 days to train herself for the championship. She even trained herself by hitting the gym at late hours of the night, just to avoid being taunted by people for concentrating on her preparations so soon after her father’s demise. Pincky did not let the talks deter her father’s dream and her own ambition.
Remembering the words her late father had told her before his untimely demise, she said:
“He said that he would accompany me to the Games. I had never allowed my parents to come to my practice, as it used to make me nervous. But I would have been happy to have him here.
Before the Games, one day he asked me to give him a glass of water but I did not. He told me, ‘You don’t listen to your father. You will not get gold. You will get silver in Asiad’. I remembered his words when I finished with the silver.”
The likes of Pincky are an example to all of us. As they say – “You never know how strong you are, until being strong is the only choice you have.”
Well done and congratulations Pincky Balhara.