By Paritosh Pramanik
July 30, 2022
She has played in five ball badminton nationals. She also appeared for Maharashtra basketball team on three occasions and also is a karate black belt holder.
Rashmi Iyer, mother of a 10-year-old boy, has recently won silver medals in the Pro Powerlifting Championship.
A sportsperson since her childhood, Rashmi believed in doing new things,
religiously.
That’s why despite changing sports she continued to climb the podium.
The taunts, “you are finished now after having a baby,” only ignited her passion to play the sport more. She decided to take up powerlifting just 18 months back and in the short span of time won medals at district and state levels.
“I’m an athlete from my childhood, I played five nationals in ball badminton, three nationals in basketball. I am also a karate black belt holder,” said Rashmi who recently won two silver medals in the Pro League National Powerlifting Championship at Bengaluru.
She clinched a silver medal in the Under-60 weight category and 34 age open category. She lifted 105 kgs in deadlift and 37.5 kgs in benchpress to finish second among 150 lifters who participated from all over the country.
It is more commendable as Rashmi has been doing powerlifting since last one and a half years only.
“Till now I have won a gold and a bronze in district at WPC (World Powerlifting Congress), two silver medals in States Championship at WPC-1, a silver in State championship at PI Power India-1, a bronze at Pro League National Powerlifting Championship in March 2021,” she informed proudly.
Rashmi, who has been selected for the International meet in the UK said that the disciplined nature of sport attracted her towards powerlifting. “More importantly, I wanted to change the perception that a woman sportsperson’s career gets over after she delivers a baby. I wanted to prove this notion wrong. I decided to follow my passion towards my sport without ignoring my family and work. My husband, Ganesh and my entire family supports me in my training,” said Rashmi, who’s 10-year-old son Swayam loves playing football.
“To be honest, without family support it’s impossible to achieve goals. My husband takes care of everything whenever I go for training or for competitions. He also come with me daily for my training,” said Rashmi who has her own fitness club ‘Fitnezz Junkies’ at Pratap Nagar.
Rashmi’s ultimate dream is to represent India and win medals for the country.
“I have won many medals in my life and now my ultimate dream is to represent my country at the International Powerlifting Championships and win a gold,” said the Microbiology Laboratory Technician,who worked for Orange City Hospital and Research Institute but had to resign after his son’s birth. The powerlifter who is also a certified fitness coach from AFAA (Athletics and Fitness Association of America) is working hard to fulfil her dream and make the city and country proud.
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