This Indian girl is far too good for her boots, as it were; the nation needs to do more than just bask in her glory

The athlete who is too big for her boots, quite literally, is being serenaded by the nation and she deserves all the kudos being heaped on her and more. Swapna Barman, the golden girl from world sports' tough seven-eventer, the Heptathlon, is being toasted for her big achievement - an Asian Games Gold medal on a track where very Indians tread and even fewer make a mark. The fact that this Jalpaigurigirl's rickshaw-puller father has long been bedridden and mother is a tea garden hand who could barely make ends meet under their tin-shed shelter which Swapna knew as home, is an inspirational story of struggle and achievement. Swapna ran the 100-metre hurdle race, high jumped, shot putted and again ran the 200 metres on Day 1 before excelling in long jump, javelin throw and the 800 metres on Day 2. All this, in shoes she had to squeeze her feet into because she has six toes on each foot and a tooth/gum infection which saw her compete with a heavily strapped jaw. Given her impoverished background in the boondocks of West Bengal from where seldom does a phoenix like her rise, she has with her sterling performance against all odds bowled over even the most cynical.

Hat's off to this young performer who brought glory to a sports apathetic nation which loves medals. Swapna has many earlier achievements in international competitions and did not spring up on the scene unannounced. Hence, it's awful that an athlete of her potential has had to run and compete with shoes that her nobody thought of custom-making for her so that she could bring in the laurels without excruciating pain. Swapna's achievement signals the need for change in sporting budgets, priorities and infrastructure. It is not just her but many other sons and daughters of the soil who have the potential to bring the nation glory with the kind of support that many a time their sports federations fall short of being able to provide due to underfunding, lack of professionalism, corruption and zero empathy. Swapna, it should be pointed out, is sponsored by Rahul Dravid's foundation — he is one of the few Indian cricketing stars who works silently his wonders to perform — and the growing corporate involvement in sports is the best way to go if India has to blaze a trail.Swapna and the other athletes in Indonesia have won glory for India; it's now the nation's turn to return the favour by putting pressure on the sports administration to put a system in place that can spot talent, nurture it and ensure specialisation in all major disciplines. There are many Swapnas waiting to burst on to the scene with just a little push.