In a remarkable display of athletic prowess, G Christy Starina, a retired superintendent of GST and central excise from Puducherry, has brought glory to India by winning medals at the prestigious 23rd Asian Masters' Athletics Meet held in Chennai.
Golden Triumph in Triple Jump
The 55+ women's category witnessed stellar performances from Indian athletes, with Christy Starina securing the gold medal in triple jump with her best jump measuring 8.72 meters. She additionally claimed a bronze medal in the long jump event with a leap of 3.97 meters.
While these achievements are commendable, they fall short of her personal best records. Her personal best in triple jump stands at an impressive 9.72 meters, while she has achieved 4.4 meters in long jump within the masters' category, indicating her potential for even greater performances.
Fierce Competition Among Asian Athletes
The championship featured intense competition among veteran athletes from across Asia. In the triple jump event, Indian athletes Swapna Ray Barma (7.92m) and E Rajeswari (7.89m) secured silver and bronze medals respectively, making it a clean sweep for India in this category.
The long jump event saw Indian athlete Roshani Gulati clinching gold with a jump of 4.18 meters, while Sri Lankan athlete W S S D Chrisila Afnas De won silver with 4.02 meters, placing Christy's bronze-winning performance in perspective against strong international competition.
Overcoming Training Challenges
Christy revealed that her preparations faced significant hurdles due to inadequate facilities in Puducherry. The newly laid synthetic track at the local sports stadium lacked proper landing facilities, forcing her to travel regularly to Chennai for practice sessions.
"We later approached the Puducherry development commissioner cum secretary (sports), Krishna Mohan Uppu, who made all the arrangements to practice at our stadium," Christy acknowledged, highlighting how administrative support eventually enabled proper training conditions.
This isn't Christy's first international success. She previously won a gold medal in triple jump at the 2019 Asian Masters' Athletic Championship in Malaysia, maintaining her consistent medal-winning streak across international, Asian, and national championships throughout her athletic career in multiple track and field events including triple jump, long jump, 100m dash, and 4x100m relay.
Athletic Excellence Runs in the Family
The Starina household exemplifies sporting excellence. Her husband, M S Sridharan, a retired income tax inspector, is a national sprint champion who represented Tamil Nadu in national events during the 1980s and 1990s.
The athletic legacy continues with their daughters - S Priyanka Sharon and S Preetha Sharon - who have both earned state medals in 100m dash and long jump events, making sports a true family tradition.
Christy Starina's achievement demonstrates that age is no barrier to excellence, inspiring both veteran and young athletes across India to pursue their sporting dreams regardless of their professional backgrounds or life stages.
