India has a lot of hidden gems in sports. Sadly, the life of an athlete is not an easy one, more so, in India. It is very difficult to follow your dreams when you can't afford them. Even if you become a big sports star a life of struggles is guaranteed.
Take the case of Poonam Sonune, a 19-year-old athlete from Pune who who pursued athletics because she had to support her family.
While Poonam¡¯s father supported her dream for as long as he could, he had to eventually give in. But Poonam never gave up. Through CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities Vijendra Singh (her coach) managed to secure enough funds to keep her career on track.
But Poonam¡¯s family didn¡¯t know that their lives were soon about to change. Not only did she participate in the Pune Half Marathon but also won it bringing home a whopping Rs 1.25 lakh, as reported by Times of India.
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In a bitter-sweet twist, Poonam could not attend her sister¡¯s wedding because she was selected to appear for the upcoming South Asian Games. Now Poonam¡¯s dream is to win more marathons like these and may her wish come true! We wish that she continues to inspire girls around her like this.