Bronze-winner Sonam hopes to save family home from being mortgaged

Sonam competes at the Mumbai Marathon. Pic/Shadab Khan

For most athletes, breaking a national record is a life-changing moment, but not for 20-year-old Sonam. The Delhi-based distance runner is convinced that if sportspeople outside the realm of cricket succeed, they only get fleeting moments of adulation before life goes on as it was.

"There's been no change in my personal life. Everyone just takes interviews, but there's still no support. My father still works at a brick kiln [in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh]," Sonam told mid-day after winning third place in the Indian elite women's category (2:55:45) at the Mumbai Marathon despite having no prior experience of running a 42-km race.

Record-breaking journey

Sonam first shot into the limelight in 2023 when she broke the national record in the 2000m steeplechase. Odisha's Parul Chaudhury, widely renowned as one of the best steeplechase athletes in the country, had held the record for more than a decade. Despite her win though, the issues that plague her life persist.

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"My dad called me yesterday [Saturday] and said he is mortgaging our house to pay for my younger sister's wedding. I hadn't told my family that I'm coming to Mumbai to participate in the marathon, because they would worry about my health and safety in this big city," she said.

Though this was her debut full marathon, Sonam ran it keeping her family's needs in mind, meaning the price of returning home empty-handed would've been too big a burden to carry. She needed that monetary gain to show for her efforts. "I get R3000 every three months from the Khelo India initiative, plus a little bit from a few small foundations. I use that to finance my training. I never have anything left to give to my family. That's why I came here, targeting a top-seven finish, to earn at least Rs 1 lakh [prize money]. But this [rupees three lakh prize money for bronze medal finish] will now help my sister fulfil her wedding wish, and hopefully save our house too," said Sonam.

Parents, biggest motivation

As if carrying the hopes of her family weren't enough, Sonam also has to cope with misogynistic remarks and jeers from fellow villagers at her Uttar Pradesh home. "My parents standing by me is my biggest motivation. Even today, whenever I go to my village, people say things like ‘why aren't they marrying her off,' or ‘what's the use of all this when she'll only end up cooking food.' During my races, these thoughts keep playing in my mind," she added with a smile and hopes that her Mumbai Marathon bronze medal show becomes a springboard for higher honours and perhaps be that long-awaited life-changing moment.