The Only Aim Now Is Winning Medals At Para Olympic In Tokyo: Jayanti Behera

The Only Aim Now Is Winning Medals At Para Olympic In Tokyo: Jayanti Behera

At 20, this para-athlete from Odisha has proved that all it takes is hard work and dedication to change one’s destiny and touch the pinnacle of success. No wonder, it was a moment of pride and prestige for Jayanti Behera when she was felicitated with the Biju Patnaik Award for Sports on Saturday on the occasion of National Sports Day 

With an outstanding record that includes several gold and silver medals in 800 m and 400 m races at various national and international sports events, Jayanti was overwhelmed as she received the award. Giving credits to her coach for her achievements, Jayanti said, “It was the belief and efforts of my coach Bishnu sir that I reached this stage. He is the one who motivated me to run and be a sportsperson.” He looked after me both in studies and sports, she said.

Jayanti has been already qualified for the Para Olympics Tokyo to be held in 2021 and is working hard for the biggest event. “My only aim is to win medals in Para Olympic In Tokyo 2021. For this, I am really working hard with my daily routine and practice on track. I am even focusing on my fitness,” she said.

The youngest daughter of Kunja Behera and Ashamani Behera, a tragic incident that happened in her childhood that changed her life completely. “I was born to a poor labourer family. I was one year old when misfortune struck me. I fell down in the wooden furnace due to which my left side was damaged. My left hand, little finger and my waist had been burnt. The accident was so severe that the fingers on the left hand had to be amputated. My left wrist remains permanently crooked and I can’t straighten it,” shared Jayanti.

Jayanti was studying in class 6 when she participated in a block-level competition where her coach Bishnu Prasad Mishra of Gurukul Athletic Training Center, Sakhigopal, spotted her. He convinced her parents about her potential to be a sportsperson and brought her to his centre. Since then Jayanti has been staying at his training centre. “I have been training many athletes. When I spotted her running in a competition, I knew that she had the potential to participate in state and national level racing competitions. I started training her for 400 and 800-meter races,” shared coach Mishra.

Mishra is hopeful that Jayanti would win medals in Para Olympics in Tokyo. “She is focused and devoting her time in training for the biggest sporting event. Her dedication gives me confidence that she would perform well,” he said.

Jayanti has won the gold medal in 400-meter run and silver medal in the 200-meter run at 5th China open Para-athletics championships, Beijing held in 2017, she secured the gold medal in 400-meter run and silver medal in the 200-meter run at Junior World Para Athletics Championships in Nottwil, Switzerland in 2017. Similarly, she won the gold medal in the 200-meter run and 400-meter run and silver medal in the 100-meter run at Youth Asian Para Games, Dubai 2017. She secured 6th position in the World Para Athletics Championships in London.

In 2018, she won the Gold medal in the 100-meter run 200-meter run and 400-meter run at 18th senior National Para Athletics Championships held in Panchkula, Haryana.