The track has been an integral part of Sneha Jain’s life for decades now. As one of Rajasthan’s best female athletes, she has worked hard to build a successful sporting career. From representing her state nationally in 100 metre sprint, long jump and triple jump competitions to setting national and Asian track and field records to winning 149 gold medals in Masters’ tournaments, this 40-something mother of two has done it all. But here’s an interesting fact — she became a sporting sensation after her marriage. Unlike many Indian sportswomen for whom nuptials essentially mark the end of their career, Sneha has blazed her own trail of gold glory with the support of one woman — her mother-in-law.
Recently, when Sneha couldn’t make it to Sri Lanka to participate in the International Masters Athletics meet to make a bid for achieving a landmark personal medal tally of 150 golds because an uncle suffered a massive cardiac arrest, it was a deja vu moment for her. A decade ago, in 1996, she had missed the opportunity to become part of the national athletics squad as she had to rush back home from the national sports camp in Bengaluru after her mother, who was suffering from uterine cancer, passed away suddenly. When this tragedy struck her, Sneha had established herself as a foremost female sportsperson in her state and had, in fact, been a regular at the nationals since 1989.
Fillip to go on
She was ready to distinguish herself in the big league, but fate had something else in store for her. Sneha had already given up on education, having dropped out of college after the first year. She had more pressing obligations at home, taking care of her mother and younger brother, besides travelling to Mumbai on and off as her mother was being treated there. There was simply no time to go to class. Then she lost her mother and her sporting career also came to a near standstill.
Between 1996 and 2000, she wasn’t able to do anything concrete to further her dream of playing for the country. It almost seemed like the end of her career — and then she got married. “My elder sister, Lata, decided that I should get married so that I can move on from the loss of my mother and start life afresh. It did turn out to be a wise thing to do because it was my mother-in-law who motivated me to revive my career. Unlike most mothers-in-law, mine offered to lend me a helping hand in the household chores if I agreed to return to the track! Could I ask for more?” shares Sneha, who began practising regularly once again and even managed to get into the nationals the very next year — and in the subsequent years thereafter. “However, I didn’t win any medals because my body needed some more time to return to form,” she elaborates. Of course, by the time she regained full fitness, she had turned 35 and became ineligible for professional sporting events.
In 2007, she came to know about the Masters tournament and that gave her fillip to go on. “I took part in my first Masters National Games, which was held in Jaipur, where I created a national record in long jump,” she says, adding that this record remains unbeaten. Back in form and full of confidence, Sneha restarted her hunt for medals.
During the 15 years of marriage, she has won 146 gold medals and holds a national and an Asian record in her name. Last year, in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, during the 37th Masters National Games, she was adjudged the best athlete after she won five golds — in 100 metres, long jump, triple jump, 4x100 metres and 4x400 metres relays.
In most traditional Indian families, it’s not all that easy for daughters-in-law to continue to pursue their passions, especially if they are related to sports. Sneha is conscious of the fact that she has been fortunate because the elders in her marital home not only supported her career, but also pushed her to become the best and win laurels. “My husband accompanied me when I participated in my first Nationals post-marriage in Hyderabad. Once my daughter was born, in 2002, I took her along with me,” she says.
In fact, as Sneha had started running by the time she turned 5, she has inspired her two children — daughter Aarchie and son, Vansh — to follow in her footsteps and get an early start. While Vansh, 10, is doing well on the track in school, Aarchie, who is in Class 9, has already been part of two under-14 national events. “She’s been practising with me for the last two years. I’m her coach. I want her to continue my legacy. She participated in the 100 metres sprint and hurdles competitions,” says the proud mother. Aarchie joins her mother at the Barkatullah Stadium, 2 km from their home, every evening at four to put in a three-hour practice session. By the time Sneha is back, her mother-in-law has already done the preparations for dinner so she has “to just cook”.
Apart from her 2 children, no one in the family is into sports. Sneha got a job in the Post and Telegraph Department in 1993, when she was in the first year of graduation, under the sports quota and has been representing the Department ever since. She’s currently posted at Jodhpur’s head post office located on Station Road where she shows up in tracksuit because she has to head to the stadium directly after office. Sneha is also on the executive body of the Masters Athletics Federation of India and is involved in organising national events. Today, she is gearing up to fulfill a long-cherished dream: in May, Sneha will head to Singapore to participate in the Asian Masters championship in the hope that she will be able to achieve the 150-medal mark.
WFS