‘We Don’t Celebrate Festivals, Punam’s Wins Are All We Celebrate’

Punam Yadav’s emotional family speak about her struggles to get the gold medal at the CWG in Australia.

Punam Yadav won India a gold medal in weightlifting on 8 April.

(Photo: AP)

The gold rush continued in weightlifting for India, as Punam Yadav added the fifth medal to the tally with a top finish in the 69-kg category at the 21st Commonwealth Games on Sunday, 8 April.

Yadav, a bronze-medallist in the 63-kg category at the 2014 Glasgow edition, lifted a personal best of 222 kg (110 kg + 122 kg) to claim the top spot ahead of England's Sarah Davies, who finished with 217 kg (95 kg + 122 kg).

I was expecting a good fight but from Fiji, not England. I was a little nervous when Sarah went for 128 kg in her final lift. She was capable of pulling it off. But then it’s all about fate, I got what was my destiny and she got what was her destiny. Thankfully, our physio was allowed inside for sometime for strapping my knee, I have slight pain there.

Punam Yadav

Yadav, a native of Uttar Pradesh, had claimed a silver at last year's Commonwealth Championships, her first event after making the jump from the 63-kg category to the the 69-kg category.

"I came to India camp in 2014 after taking up weightlifting on the insistence of my elder sister. She got me into it," she said, when asked about her initiation into the sport.

The 22-year-old, who finds it tough to even remember her own phone number, was quite candid about her family, who she says, is financially stable now after her 2014 Glasgow medal.

My father took a loan at that time to support my training, but now we repaid that after my medal. He doesn’t do anything apart from pooja paath at home. My mother is a homemaker. My sister and I, we run the finances of the house.

Punam Yadav

'Woke up Early to Pray’

Punam’s family back home too was only too elated with her victory, having woken up early morning to catch her in action. Her sister and mother were both reduced to tears when asked about the struggles the family faced while trying to help Purnima.

We were hoping for a gold medal. We woke up early in the morning and prayed that Punam would win a medal. We don’t celebrate Holi or any other festival. This is our only festival. Her victory is like a festival for us. This is the day we wait for.

Kiran Yadav, Punam’s sister