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MR Poovamma is an Indian sprinter who is set to appear in the Paris Olympics 2024. At the age of 34, she is making her third appearance in the Olympics.
She made her debut in the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 4x400m relay race. Born in Gonikoppal, Karnataka, Poovamma did her primary and higher education in Mangalore and is also a Business Management graduate.
Her journey to the Paris Olympics has been a rollercoaster ride. Poovamma won her first gold in 4 × 400 m relay at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games.
In the same competition, MR Poovamma stood second in the 400m individual division. During the 2013 Asian Championship held in Pune, India, she won another gold in 4x400m relay and a silver for the 400m individual event.
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At the Asian Games in 2014, held at Incheon, South Korea, she again clinched gold in the 4x400m relay in the women's division. In the individual division, she came third and won a bronze for the women's 400m race.
Poovamma and her team had a disappointing end in the Rio Olympics 2016 but in the 2018 Asian Games, she clinched a gold medal in 4x400m relay.
However, MR Poovamma had to face a setback in her career due to a two-year ban by the National Anti-Doping Appeal Panel as she failed her drug test in February 2021. Because of the same, she missed out on the Asian Games, World Athletics Championships and Asian Championships.
How did MR Poovamma qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024?
MR Poovamma and her team qualified for the Paris Olympics 2024 by finishing second at the World Athletics Relay in the Bahamas. Her ban was over in 2023 and she made a brilliant comeback to the sport. She is the oldest member of the team and her experience will be valuable at the Olympics.
Poovamma made her comeback during the Goa National Games after her two-year ban by the National Anti-Doping Agency. With her, the women's 4x400 relay will have Rupal Chaudhary, Jyothika Sri Dandi and Subha Venkatesan in action at the Paris Olympics 2024.
