When going gets tough,Anjana gets going

The day had started well for the 14-year-old girl,as she braved the cold and damp weather to clinch gold in the 400 metres,clocking it in 56.4 seconds

As soon as she touched the tape with a timing of 4:13.2 seconds,Anjana Thamke couldnt help but break into a smile. After putting the last ounce of energy in a performance that earned her yet another gold in 1500 metres at the National School Games Athletics Meet,Anjana,who hails from a small village near Nasik,knew it was not only her best performance in the under-17 category,but probably the finest run of her young life.

The day had started well for the 14-year-old girl,as she braved the cold and damp weather to clinch gold in the 400 metres,clocking it in 56.4 seconds. The hardwork put in by her in the past one year was finally paying its dividends. It was at a similar school event in 2011 when she met her future coach,a man who could take her to the next level. While other participants relaxed between events,the barefooted Anjana trained hard. The grit and talent made SAIs Vijender Singh want to mentor her,even against her parents wishes.

Vijender sir came to Nasik and persuaded my parents,who were quite apprehensive in the beginning. They wanted me to stay at home and do some work, says Anjana. But like most underdog stories,the parents,daily-wagers with little money,relented. And the girl wanted to prove that it was the right decision.

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With a burning desire to make a name for herself,Anjana began her climb up the ladder. Soon,she started doing better than expectations.

Meet record

First came a new meet record at the 56th National School Games in 600 metres,when she took just one minute and 35.67 seconds to win the under-19 category in Pune last year. Coach Vijender believes that it was the hardships that taught her more than anyone else could.

Her modest upbringing was the biggest blessing. Climbing up and down the hills to reach her house had made her legs stronger than others girls her age. She just needed guidance to move in the right direction, says Vijender,who is also the coach of Kavita Raut the first Indian woman to win a bronze medal in 10,000 metres at the 2010 Delhi Games.

She soon set another new meet record this time in the 27th National Junior Athletics Championship in November last year,with a timing of 1:31.23s,which was just one second short of the world record. The Ranchi run proved that Anjana was moving in the right direction,one that,she hopes,will stop at the Olympics. According to her coach,that day is not far away.

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She has always looked at Kavita as her role-model. Like Kavita,she will definitely represent India in the Olympics, he adds. The Indian,he says,will soon be ripe to take the international circuit by storm,just like she has done in the schools category.