Idukki girl loses spikes mid-race but keeps running to finish

Kozhikode: As the 68th Kerala State School Games entered its third day, stories of courage, resilience and determination continued to unfold across the sporting grounds. Many athletes are competing not only against their opponents but also against the hurdles life has placed in their path. The tracks are not merely venues for winning medals; they are also stages where thousands of young athletes strive to fulfil their dreams at the state-level sporting spectacle.

One such athlete who refused to give up, even when circumstances took an unexpected turn, was Roshni C from Idukki. She arrived in Kozhikode hoping to win a medal in the junior girls’ 3,000m event. After a comfortable start to the final, she was ready to give it her all. However, during the second lap, Roshni was accidentally tripped from behind by a fellow athlete from her district, causing one of her running spikes to come off and leaving her running barefoot on one foot.

Momentarily stunned, Roshni refused to let the incident break her resolve. She continued the race with a spike on only one foot, pushing herself along the synthetic track at Mukkom to reach the finish line.

“I was flabbergasted when the spikes came off during the race. The only thing stuck to my mind was to finish the race, and I decided to move forward without thinking much,” Roshni said after the event.

Roshni is a Class 10 student at St. Joseph’s Higher Secondary School, Peruvanthanam. She hails from Pallikkunnu, near Kuttikkanam in Idukki, and is the daughter of Chandran P and Geetha K. She began her athletic journey just a year ago, competing in the 600m event at school before venturing into the 3,000m. Roshni went on to secure four medals at the sub-district level and three at the district level, earning her a place at the State Games.

Maju Manuel, the physical education teacher at her school, was among the first to recognise Roshni’s athletic talent. Aware of the expenses involved in pursuing the sport, Maju bought her a pair of running spikes, one of which came off during the race.

“I recognised her talent and wanted to encourage her talent with meaningful exposure for her career. She trained with limitations as our school ground is considerably small in size. On holidays, I send her to another academy with a bigger ground,” the coach said.

“It’s only her second time at the State Games, and I expect her to fully reach her potential in the coming years,” Maju added.

Roshni’s challenges extend beyond the track. The journey alone to the training grounds takes hours out of her day. Yet, her passion for athletics continues to drive her forward.

“I aspire to become a professional athlete. I want to train even better and secure a medal in the event next year,” Roshni said, determined to turn an unfortunate incident into a lesson in perseverance. With the junior girls’ 1,500m event approaching, the young athlete from Idukki is already preparing to take on her next challenge.