Swapna Barman, the Asian Games gold medalist, has decided to retire due to depression brought on by a nagging back injury. Swapna, a North East Frontier Railway athlete, earned a gold medal in the high jump at the 60th National Open Athletics Championships in Warangal less than 24 hours ago. “My body can no longer bear the strain. I’m depressed mentally, and it’s not easy,” Swapna told PTI from Warangal.
“I’m a bit confused, but I’ve mentally prepared 80-90 percent to call it quits. I will make the big announcement after reaching Kolkata. I never wanted to participate, but because of Railway commitments I had to participate here,” Swapna, who skipped her pet heptathlon event in Warangal, said.
Swapna, who became the first Indian heptathlete to win an Asian Games gold in Jakarta 2018, won silver in the Asian Championships in Doha a year later. Swapna, who has six toes on each foot, battled injuries for a year before winning silver at the Asian Championships in Doha. Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, Swapna was unable to compete in any tournament in 2020, but she aimed for the Tokyo Games qualifying mark in 2021, but injuries and a second wave of the pandemic derailed her plans once more.
Swapna, only participated in Federation Cup along with the current Open Nationals this year.
“It appears I was not cut out for it. I tried my hardest but couldn’t make it and had a lot of injuries,” she explained.
Swapna had postponed surgery on physicians’ instructions and depended on rehabilitation, but she had been through enough.
“Ultimately I have to go for the surgery, even during this meet I was troubled by the back pain. It does not feel well anymore,” She said it emotionally.
Last year, the Jalpaiguri athlete was embroiled in controversy when her home was seized by forest department officers for alleged illegal timber possession, prompting widespread demonstrations in the neighborhood.
“People are jealous of my achievements and my mother is subjected to a lot of harassment. I can’t take it anymore. I’ve to be with my family and deal with it, she concluded.”
