Chhantyal wins silver for 14-month baby

Nepalgunj, April 20

Jun Maya Chhantyal was over the moon after she bagged silver medal in the women’s 59kg weight category of the National Weightlifting Championship under the eighth National Games here at the Municipality Hall in Tanga Chowk today.

The 63kg section gold medal winner in the seventh edition of the national sporting extravaganza, Chhantyal was a distant second behind Tribhuvan Army Club’s Kamal Shrestha. But Chhantyal was more than happy for making it to the podium despite having training for less than two weeks.

Chhantyal remained away from the sport for nearly two years following a birth of a baby boy 14 months ago. She is in Nepalgunj with her son and looking after the infant has been the top priority. But she also had to focus on her training and preparation and she did both with perfection.

“Getting medal in national championship is always a proud moment and I am satisfied with my overall performance,”

Chhantyal told The Himalayan Times who was eagerly waiting for the medal ceremony so that she could share the joy with her baby at the team hotel in Dhambuji, some two kilometres away from the venue.

Chhantyal got introduction to weightlifting in 2013 and was able to win bronze medal in the 12th South Asian Games in the Indian city of Guwahati in 2016. She was just two years old in the sport when she got married to fellow Nepal Police personnel.

And she was out of the sport for two years to take care of her baby.

“I wanted to resume the sport but it was not easy to make a comeback as the baby was too little to leave,” said the 22-year-old Chhantyal.

“But we decided to take a chance in National Games and I trained for around two weeks before coming to Nepalgunj,” added Chhantyal, who hails from Burtibang of Baglung district.

Asked about her performance, Chhantyal said it would take another one year to reach the peak. “I was training hard and slowly coming to the shape. But I was forced to lose weight as I had to perform in 59kg weight category instead of 63kg,” said Chhantyal. “And I found it very hard to perform as I am still feeling weak.”

She has already dreamt of participating in the 13th SA Games and win another medal for the country. “It will take time but I have a dream of playing in SA Games on home soil and make the nation proud again,” she said.