Ahmed Deepto elicits the story of Mabia Akter Simanto, the 17-year-old Bangladeshi girl who won the gold medal at Asian Games for lifting 184 kilogrammes
Lifting a weight of 184 kilogrammes (kg) is a feat that not many can pull off. But for Mabia Akter Simanto, the 17-year-old Bangladeshi gold medal winner at the South Asian games, it only takes a couple of seconds.
Mabia is the current national champion and gold medalist weightlifter who won a gold medal in 12th South Asian (SA) Games on February 7 in Guwahati, India. In this edition of the competition, she was the first athlete from Bangladesh to clinch the coveted gold medal.
Simanto topped the 63 kg category in the SA Games. When Simanto stood on the podium to receive her medal, and Bangladeshi national anthem was being played and the flag hoisted, she broke into tears while saluting the flag. This whole scenario went viral on social media, and moved millions of Bangladeshi across the world.
‘I never thought I would win as one of my hands had a fracture. When Rina from India missed her first lift, there was a buzz that I might win it. My coach asked me to pull out of the race as he was worried that I might worsen my injury. Although I was injured, there was a hidden force working in my mind. I was adamant. So I lifted,’ says Simanto.
‘I couldn’t believe that I had made it. I felt an overwhelming emotion when the national anthem played. I knew that my victory was the reason why the anthem was being played. When I saw the flag hoisted up, I couldn’t hold my tears back any longer. At that time I was only thinking about my family, coach and my country,’ Simanto adds.
The young athlete’s relationship with weightlifting had started in her childhood, back in 2010, when she was only a girl of 11.
Simanto’s training had started under Kazi Shahadat Hossain, her uncle who is also a boxing coach. The reason why Simanto got in the serious business of lifting so early in her life was to support her family financially. Born into a family that was well familiar with the struggle to put food on the table, Simanto broke social stereotypes and chose to carry the load of providing for her family with her barbells. In fact, Simanto’s family went through such hardships that she had to give up her education when she was in seventh grade.
Simanto still lives in a makeshift tin house which is located on the edge of a lake at Khilgaon in the capital. Her shopkeeper father, Mohammad Harunur Rashid, homemaker mother Akter Banu and two elder siblings live in that home. None of her siblings have any interest in sports, but Simanto always felt the more she lifts, the more she could assist her family.
‘The first day that my uncle took me to the stadium with him, he pointed at the barbells and he asked me to try to lift it. He introduced me to the different moves and stages of weightlifting: Snatch, Clean and Jerk. I fell in love with those moves. I have continued weekly coaching sessions ever since and didn’t miss a single session even if I had a fever,’ recalls Simanto.
Despite of her average build, the 63kg weightlifter can lift more than three times of her body weight. The way she lifts is breathtaking to watch. Simanto practices three to four hours every day.
Simanto has brought some notable successes from different international competitions in recent years, including Commonwealth Youth and Junior Championships, Asian Youth and Junior Championship, first Afro Asian Championship.
At the age of 12, she bagged bronze medal at South Asian Championship in 2012 in Nepal at her international debut. In the same year, she won another bronze in The Kings Cup in Thailand.
At home, Simanto also became the national weightlifting champion and bagged two gold medals in 2013. Last year, Simanto defeated her Indian opponent and won gold at Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship.
Over a period of four years, this young weightlifter won two international gold medals, four gold medals at home, eight bronze and 11 silver medals at several weightlifting competitions at home and abroad. She also made three consecutive records in National Weight Lifting Competition in 2014. All these achievements have already turned her to an icon among female weightlifters in the country.
Simanto’s dream is to better the financial condition of her family. Currently, she resumed her education as she enrolled in ninth grade at Bangladesh Open University. In January this year, she also joined Bangladesh Ansar and Village DP and receives gratuity.
‘My dream is to play in Olympic Games and to support my family even more. My parents inspire me on my mission,’ tells the youngster to New Age Youth.
But even after winning all the medals, Simanto’s earnings did not go up. ‘There were no remunerations to accompany the medals. Even after the victories, it is very difficult to support my family. For one year, I received an allowance of 5,000 takas from Bangladesh Olympic Association but later they stopped it. Currently, I train at Bangladesh Ansar and Village Development Party. After the training, I would get 8,000 takas per month,’ she adds worryingly.
Simanto wants women to be inspired by her career. ‘Our society neglects girls. I have ventured into a career path that women do not dare to tread. This should inspire other girls to not stop pursuing their dreams, no matter what restrictions the society tries to impose. Even though my neighbours mocked me initially, later they had to respect me. So no matter how much the society wants to weigh you down, you just have to raise the bar,’ she asserts.