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Soma Biswas hangs her boots at 30

By Staff

Kolkata, July 2 (UNI) Soma Biswas today announced retirement from competitive athletics ending a 16-year illustrious career that fetched her three medals in Asiads.

An official announcement to quit track and field for good was awaited since her failure to qualify in Heptathlon for Beijing Olympics in the inter-state meet in Bangalore recently.

'' I had been dreaming for the third Olympic but that would not be possible as I am 30,'' Soma, married last year, told a meet-the-press, organised by Calcutta Sports Journalists' Club to mark the World Sports Journalists Day.

She had represented India in heptathlon in Sydney and Athens Olympics in 2000 and 2004 respectibvely.

An employee of South Eastern Railway, Soma's first big medal was in Heptathlon winning silver in Bhusan Asian Games in 2002. She was also the member of India's 4x100 relay team that won gold in the same Asiad. She repeated her feat in 2006 Doha Asiad.

'' But I rate Bhusan's silver as my best in 16 years of competitive athletic career.'' She rememered how she donned shorts and T-shirt when she was in Class IV and got down in the greens, that paved her way in the sports.

Though she entered in competitive sports in 1992, her first win was in the Jr Asian Track and Field event in Delhi winning gold in high jump.

She also won medal in Grandprix in Bangkok, Philliphines and Hyderabad and got silver in Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006.

Though she has no regret having hung her boots, she said she was feeling a bit tired on regular pactice sessions in the morning and evenings.

''I would not leave the field as I want to devote time for coaching and may be for an academy'', Soma said.

UNI PC KK AB RAR VC2017

Story first published: Thursday, August 24, 2017, 16:22 [IST]
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