Sapna Jain starts Powerlifting after 23 years of her marriage
Ranjit Thakur
JAMMU, July 17: Age is just a number for 47 year-old Sapna Jain who has brought laurels to Jammu and Kashmir by winning a Gold medal in National level Powerlifting Championship held at Andhra Pradesh.
She won Gold medal in the Master National Classic and Equipped Powerlifting Championship held at Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh between July 12 to 16.
She was competing in the under-47 kg weight category. “It is an excellent feeling. I am happy that my dedication has given me such good results. At 47, keeping up physical shape is always a difficult task. I also lost weight right before the tournament, but I managed to do it. Four athletes from different States were similarly powerful, making the competition difficult,” she told exclusively to Excelsior.
Sapna has always had an active lifestyle, but seven years ago she began going to the gym and learning how to lift weights and at the age of 43, she shocked everyone by taking home four medals in the Asian Classic Powerlifting Championship in Kazakhstan.
After graduating from Delhi, Sapna Jain married businessman Pankaj Jain of Jammu and started powerlifting after 23 years of her marriage. She became a mother-in-law after his elder son tied knot last year.
Sapna said, “Age is just a number I would say, my daughter-in-law is equally excited and encourages me to do my best. When I first met her she was quite nervous, but now we have a very good daughter-mother-in-law bond.”
“Although I had various health issues such as disc problems, cervical and sciatic nerves, and so on, when I decided to start powerlifting, all of my ailments began to disappear.” “I kept doing powerlifting and became obsessed with it,” she explained.
The three-time national gold medallist, Sapna, had been trained by ace coach and physique trainer Rahul Dev Manhas. “I learnt a lot from him, he saw my passion, potential and guided me to challenge myself and corrected my technique. I started going to the gym in 2016 and went for my first national in 2017 held at Jammu, second in Jamshedpur and third at Idduki, Kerala, in 2019” she added.
Sapna Jain runs a Fitness Club in Jammu and encourages young girls and women to maintain physical health. “I want every girl and woman to work-out to keep themselves fit, I really felt happy when those females joined me a couple of years back and are doing so well and became not only physically but mentally strong.”
Sanjana Jain, her daughter-in-law said, “I was quite nervous before meeting with my mother-in-law, but now we are best friends, she inspired not only me but gave wings to many other young girls and women of Jammu to fly high in life.”
Drishti, another young girl who was getting training from Sapna said, “We are really proud, what she has achieved. She is the best trainer and motivator.” Being a housewife and tending to two children and other household chores, I maintain a balance with all, Sapna said, “Whatever I have achieved is because of my husband. He has been my constant source of motivation and support, my children and father in-law too were pillars of strength.”
She also appreciated All Jammu and Kashmir Power Lifting Association, Secretary Ajay Sharma for his constant support.
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