NEW DELHI: M. D. Valsamma has called it a day. One of the most durable athletes in the country, the 27 year old Valsamma announced her retirement on Friday from the sport which she dominated in a distinguished fashion for more than a decade,
“It is sad, know. But I must call it a day because It is time I settle down,” Valsamma said, She planned to get married to a Police officer in April this year.
Valsamma came under the tutelage of coach A.K Kutty in 1976 as a 16 year old school long jumper. But Kutty was sharp ‘enough to see promise in his ward and with athletics as the common factor the two became a usual sightat any meet. Perseverance and knowledge of K.utty and the dedication of Valsamma reached its Zenith at the New Delhi Asian Games where she won gold in the 400 meters hurdles. That was the finest hour for Valsamma as she became only the second Indian woman athlete after Kamalject Sandhu to win an athletics gold that too in front of about 75,000 home crowd. For her brilliant victory she was conferred with padmashree award For Valsamma who won her first Inter= national medal (400 metres hurtle bronze) at the Asian meetat Tokyo in 1981, the Los Angeles Olympics remain as the only regret
Before the Games she had done 57.6 second but simply faded out in the heats. Only if she had repeated her 57.6 she would have at least made it to the semifinals,” Kutty said, “apart from that Uhave 0 regretsand all my expectations from her are fulfilled from dedicated Valsamma,” Kutty added.
Valsamma ruled out the possibilities of staging a comeback. An Assistant Commercial Officer from Southern Railway at Palghat, Valsamma said “It is tremend= ously difficult 10 keep up the pace of training and my office jobs well.”
We have thought of carefully, but no meets now,” Valsamma said,
“I know I will Miss her but well lam not yet retired Kutty said, “Maybe one day f will come across some other dedicated athlete like Valsamma,” was the tribute to his greatest products.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 10, 1989
