Farmer daughter Durga created history by winning gold in 1500 meter race.

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Chennai. As a sports-obsessed child, Durga Singh used to run in the open spaces around the fields in her remote village Belwa Thakurai in Bihar’s Gopalganj district. Coming from an area with little sporting background, Durga’s father Shambhu Sharan Singh, a wheat farmer, was the only person who encouraged her to pursue a career in sports.

“I have faced a lot of challenges,” said an excited Durga after breaking the Games record in 1500m with a timing of 4 minutes 29.22 seconds at the Khelo India Youth Games. “I have faced a lot of challenges. Apart from my father, there was no keenness for sports in my family. No. My father always told me, ‘Go wherever you want, do whatever you want.’ Only they supported me, that’s why I am here.

The Class 10 student had won the gold medal in 1500 meters in the 38th Junior National Athletics Championship in Coimbatore last year with a timing of 4 minutes 38.29 seconds.

Durga, the fourth of five siblings, also played Kabaddi and football in her childhood, but her hero was a runner. She was such a fan of PT Usha and Usain Bolt that she had their photographs printed and framed in her room. Her talent was recognized in her school itself.

Gradually, the 17-year-old star started getting noticed more. He visited Patliputra Sports Complex in Patna to train under the guidance of coach Rakesh Singh and never looked back after that. After this his attitude towards medals also changed.

Durga said, then I realized that if you win a medal then you can make a name for yourself. I became more determined and started working harder. Now I want to make my country proud.

–IANS

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