Javelin thrower Deepika’s transformation: From water duties to winning gold

Promising athletes are spotted at stadiums. But the newly crowned Youth national champion Deepika was literally spotted on the porch of her home. Deepika used to watch coach Hanuma train youngsters at an abandoned chicken farm adjacent to her home in Bangaon, in Fatehabad drict, Haryana. The then 10-year-old had no idea what the bunch of youngsters were up to with spears in their hands.
“She used to just sit and watch us train. And since her house was right next to our training facility she used to fetch us drinking water in large jars. Pehle, bas paani dene kaam tha bass (Her initial duty was to just provide us water),” recalls coach Hanuma who is credited for producing several young talents from the region in recent times.
But fast forward to 2022, Deepika is one of the finest junior throwers in the country. The 16-year-old, who is the U-16 national record holder, proved her credentials yet again at the Youth Nationals in Bhopal on Monday where she rewrote her own youth (U-18) mark with a best effort of 51.83m.
Deepika, who eclipsed her previous record of 51.37m, was the only thrower to breach the 50m mark in Bhopal and in the process qualified for next month’s Youth Championships to be held in Kuwait. Sapna, another ward of Hanuma, finished second behind Deepika with 48.76m.
The gulf between Hanuma’s students and the rest of the competitors can be gauged the fact that the third place went to Nishi Kumari whose best attempt was 43.51, almost 5 metres short of Sapna and a good 7 metres less than Deepika
Coach Hanuma inss it wasn’t just mere luck that earned Deepika a spot in his academy. “I didn’t take her in just because she lived next to the ground. I spotted her mimicking the throwing action alone after we all left. She never did it in front of us. I realised that she had that grasping power so I just asked her to join us for training,” says coach Hanuma, a physical education employee with Haryana’s education board.
Although still in charge of water duties, Deepika has gradually become one of Hanuma’s best trainees. In the javelin nationals last year, where Hanuma’s students had a medal sweep in the U-16 category, Deepika rewrote the age group national mark with a throw of 49.31m.
The ever-smiling, reserved athlete doesn’t open up easily. She prefers to either nod or reply in monosyllables. Her thoughts on rewriting the youth mark? “Bahut achaa lag raha hai (I feel good.) How was her training and preparation for the event? “Bahut achha”.
Interviews may not be her forte but the sport certainly is. There are no half measures there. Despite being on the lower side of the strength index she is able to get maximum purchase due to her refined technique. “In the first two years, we just focused on her fitness and then gradually started javelin training. Sapna (who finished second) is actually much stronger than her but she doesn’t extend her arms as much as Deepika does. You need to extend your arms and delay it to get the best output,” explained coach Hanuma.
Apart from good technique, it’s Deepika’s sheer hard work and commitment that makes her stand apart from the rest, feels Hanuma.” In the last five years, she has missed a training session just once that too when her uncle passed away. She doesn’t go out to attend any family functions or marriages. She has the ability to grasp things and is just very diligent,” says Hanuma.
Coach Hanuma and Deepika are looking forward to the Kuwait Asian Championships and are hopeful that Deepika’s lower abdomen muscle strain is sorted then.“She took part in the competition with a taping. She has had trouble since June and getting adequate rest is the only solution. I give her breaks as per what our doctor has advised,” says Hanuma.