On the track, hurdler Gayathri Govindaraj has faced numerous problems and emerged triumphant, but the difficulties she encountered off the track when she was out of the scene due to a knee injury must have been the toughest, so far.
She injured her left knee during the triple jump event of the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in 2010, and ever since then it has been a bumpy ride. The St. Joseph’s South Zone inter-collegiate meet at the Nehru Stadium is her first major event after the injury.
“After the triple jump at CWG, I had pain and ran with the pain in the 100m hurdles. Once I returned home, I was not able to walk. Doctors advised me complete rest,” said Gayathri, on the sidelines of the South Zone meet, where she won gold in the 100m and 100m hurdles.
On February 2011, Dr. David Rajan performed a successful surgery on her left knee, and for the next 10 months she was homebound, mostly. “There was a big difference between the two legs. My left leg became very thin,” said Gayathri. “I am thankful to Olympic Gold Quest for paying the bills for my surgery.”
Determined that Gayathri was, she began full-fledged training in May 2012 despite the recurring pain. As she was getting ready for the Open Nationals in Chennai, she went down with malaria.
“I didn’t have much choice but to give a miss to the event. It was difficult not to take part in the prestigious event,” she said.
An issue that created a lot of anguish for Gayathri was the rumours that were circulated that she had lost interest and motivation to compete as she was moving towards the tinsel world.
The reason for all this was a movie that was made on her career and one in which she acted in. “I did that movie but it didn’t take much of my time. I must have spent hardly 20-25 days for shooting,” Gayathri clarified.
There was also loose talk that she was banned by the authorities for dope-related issues. All this really upset her no end.
Gayathri is determined to prove everyone wrong “I have learnt a lot of lessons in these two years, she said with tears rolling down her cheeks.
Gayathri said she is fit now and will take part in the Chief Minister’s Cup later this month and the inter-university meet in Kolkata in December this year. Gayathri, on a comeback trail, is on a mission to prove that she truly belongs to the best.
