Who is Sakina Khatun? Meet India's powerlifter eyeing glory at Paralympics 2021

Against all odds, Sakina Khatun has managed to qualify for the Tokyo Paralympics 2021 after the world governing body offering bipartite quotas to the country. The Indian para-powerlifter will be accompanied by Jaideep Deswal (men's 65kg) for the mega event while she will compete in the 50kg powerlifting category. However, her journey to the highest sporting level has been one of a kind.

Sakina left no stone unturned to accomplish her dreams and win laurels for her country. Notably, she scripted history by becoming India's first para-powerlifter to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games. The then 25-year-old clinched bronze in the 60kg category at the 2014 Glasgow Games in Scotland. Furthermore, she also won a silver medal at the 2018 Asian Para Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Early Life

Sakina Khatun was born in Bangalore, Karnataka. She contracted polio at a very young age and had to undergo four surgeries to survive the deadly disease. Post her medical treatment, doctors suggested she take up swimming to strengthen her muscles. That's when Sakina began her journey in sports.

She was unable to make it through various competitions and national-level championships. However, a meeting with renowned Indian powerlifter Farman Basha led her to take up powerlifting in 2010.

Sakina Khatun's powerlifting journey

Hard work, persistence, and patience characterized her training regime, with sessions lasting up to two hours in the morning as well as evening. It was accompanied by a strict diet including fruits, nuts and energy drinks.

Her efforts paid off after she was selected for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Eventually, she won bronze in the 61kg category by lifting a total weight of 88.2kg. However, she failed to qualify for the 2018 edition despite being within the eligibility criteria. Nonetheless, she went on to compete in that year's Asian Para Games instead, and came away with a silver medal in the 50kg category.

Challenges faced by Sakina Khatun

Sakina Khatun found it challenging to manage funds for her training, equipment and nutrition. Moreover, the coronavirus pandemic posed a serious threat to the para-athlete's preparations as she struggled to find the right training facility. However, she is now supported by the Welspun Group, who take care of all her training and other related expenses.

Sakina Khatun is training hard to win a medal at the upcoming Paralympics 2021. Her hard work and persistence stand as an inspiration to all athletes in the country.

Speaking to YourStory, Sakina said:

“My dream is to win as many medals as possible for India. I want to keep going and stop at nothing until I achieve this.”

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