Moumita Mondal says her Long Jump gold and 100-meter hurdles silver medal are her best performances in recent times. The golden girl jumped 6.21 meters in the Long Jump and clocked 13.36 seconds to acquire silver in the National Games on Sunday, the first medal out of her last two National Games.

Still, Moumita did not sound ecstatic while speaking to Parallel Sports. Rather, she remembered the hard work and the struggling past. That might have been why Moumita revealed, "I dedicate this success to myself! I have come a long way, overcoming the hurdles in the past. Today, I am happy." 

The 23-year-old girl who has been training at Reliance Foundation Mumbai under the tutelage of Athletics Director James Hillier since 2021, heaped praise on her coach stating, “Sir is very happy. He sent me hearty congratulations immediately after my events ended. He always encouraged me even when I finished fourth in my first National Games and finished with a bronze medal in my second National Games. He never discourages me and guides me with the same intensity even if I fail."

Asked about the style of his coaching, Moumita explained, "In a way he maintains the bonding between the students is unique. I feel my improvement has come mainly due to the discipline, perfectness of diet, and mental development which I found in his guidance.' 

Moumita wanted to become a professional cricketer. But it was not affordable for his father who runs a small tea shop at Jirat, Hooghly district in West Bengal. 

Moumita has not forgotten those days when she joined athletics under the coach Subhomoy Das at Serampore and she had to face harsh criticism from her neighbors and from her parents also. Moumita still remembers that her parents even beat her sometimes for going to Serampore to attend training. Still, Moumita never missed training for a single day!

Even after getting a job at Eastern Railway, Kolkata Moumita divulged her jinx continued. “I had to leave athletics for four consecutive months as I had to do my office job. I was plagued by depression gradually. Despite the job, I could not accept that I would have to live without athletics, my passion." 

Moumita again thanked James Hillier and the Reliance Foundation for her comeback to the sport. "Even after I finished at fifth in a national-level competition Hillier selected me," said Moumita. 

Moumita has no such idol in her events. She wants to grow up in her style. Still, she has an inspiration that is Ayomide Amusan, the Olympics record-holder hurdler from Nigeria who is popularly known as 'Toby Express'. 

"Toby has also short height like me. Whenever I watch her videos I get the motivation that a hurdler with short height can also excel, and win medals. I often watch her training and competition videos," Moumita asserted. 

Toby apart, Moumita also watches Camacho Quinn, the Puerto Rican hurdler who won the gold medal in the 2022 Tokyo Olympics.

Moumita is setting eyes on participation in the 2028 Olympics. "I have a couple of international competitions next year. I must have to improve timing to earn qualification for the 2028 Olympics," quipped Moumita who ultimately has a desire to settle herself in the world of athletics like Toby Express'!