Tokyo Olympics 2021: Kamalpreet Kaur's sixth-place finish will empower women in India, feels Krishna Poonia

India’s Kamalpreet Kaur earned a sixth-place finish in a rain-disrupted women’s discus throw competition at the Tokyo Olympics 2021. And according to Krishna Poonia, it will go a long way toward empowering women in India. During an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games said:

“Kamalpreet’s sixth place finish with a throw of 63.70 meters at the Tokyo Olympic Games is no mean achievement. It will encourage young Indian women athletes to think big in life.”

Krishna was the first Indian woman to enter the final of the discus throw event at the 2012 London Olympic Games. She, too, finished sixth in London.

USA's Valarie Allman is the new Olympic champion in the women’s discus throw, with a gold medal-winning throw of 68.98m.

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Kristin Pudenz of Germany took home silver with a throw of 66.86m while Cuba’s Yaime Perez won bronze with a throw of 65.72m.

The 25-year-old Kamalpreet finished sixth with a throw of 63.70m. It fell short of her season's best attempt of 66.59m recorded in March at a domestic event held in Patiala.

Krishna feels Indian athletes might face a mental block when it comes to competing at the Olympics. However, suggesting that regular international exposure was the only way to increase mental toughness, she said:

“Kamalpreet has potential but it takes time to perform at the world level. I think if she gets more international exposure in the future, Punjab throwers will do better at the world level.”

Krishna joined politics in 2013 and is an MLA from Rajasthan’s Sadulpur constituency. Krishna feels Kamalpreet’s performance in Tokyo would certainly encourage more girls to take up sports in India. The Arjuna awardee said:

“Young thrower like Kamalpreet performing on the world stage will definitely encourage young girls from other states to come forward to try their hand in throwing.”

In March, Kamalpreet erased Krishna’s national record of 64.79m by hurling the discus to a distance of 66.59m. Expressing how pleased she was at that, the Commonwealth Games gold medallist said:

“I was excited when Kamalpreet became the first Indian woman to break the 65m barrier in discus throw at the domestic competition. It’s encouraging for a young thrower to achieve that mark.”

According to Krishna, building up a second rung is also important to improve performance at the international level. The throwing event, said Krishna, has been a preserve for women athletes from the North, but other states should also encourage throwing events. Recalling her own career, Krishna said:

“The domestic competition from 2006 to 2012 was very challenging. It resulted in a good performance at the continental as well as world level. I won bronze at the 2006 Doha Asian Games, won a gold medal at the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games and finished sixth at the 2012 London Olympics. All because of tough domestic competition and international exposure.”

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