Inspired by Chanu's exploits, daughter of auto driver breaks clean & jerk National mark

BENGALURU: Ann Mariya MT, a post-graduate student of history at Alva's College in Moodbidri in Karnataka, set a national record in the 87kg + category in women's weightlifting as she won the gold in the 2nd Khelo India University Games here on Wednesday.
Daughter of Thimothy, who drives an autorickshaw in Thrissur, and Gemini, a state-level shot putter, Mariya lifted a total of 230 kg at the Jain University campus, including 129 kg in clean and jerk to better Manpreet Kaur's mark of 128, and 101 kg in snatch.

Anne Maria with coach Sundaram
Mariya already holds the national record in total lift with a total of 231 kg set at the Nationals last month.
Such was the Mangalore University girl's domination that the silver medal winner Thattithuri of Acharya Nagarjuna finished 41kg behind.
A beaming Mariya, flanked by her coach Meenakshi Sundaram of SAI Bengaluru, said it was her mom who prodded her to take up weightlifting. "First I started with powerlifting before moving on to weightlifting," Mariya said.
Recalling the days when she got up early in the morning to drop her daughter and son at the Thrissur SAI Centre for training, Gemini said: "I competed at the state-level in shot put but couldn't make it big. Noticing her strength and height, I took Maria to SAI for trials and she got selected on her second attempt."
Mariya's brother Issac John is also a weightlifter, having competed in the recent Inter-Varsity meet.
Hailing from the land of football and athletic legends, Mariya is not a big fan of other sport and her sole focus is on lifting weights and bringing glory and some prize money to her family. "When I saw (Mirabai) Chanu didi winning the medal at Olympics on television, tears rolled down my cheeks. It was such a moment that it filled me with pride. It was a big inspiration for me to work hard," Mariya said.
Coach Sundaram said the 23-year-old has the power and technique to win medals for the country. "Her focus now is to make the Indian team for the Asian Games. In the last few months, she improved her performance by nearly 20 kgs and she is capable of doing better," he added.
Gym trainer bags bronze
Alva's student Laxmi B, who works part time at a gymnasium in Bengaluru's RR Nagar, also battled the odds to bag a bronze, Mangalore's second medal, in women's 55kg category. "One lift cost me the gold medal but that will help me to do well in the coming years," the 22-year-old MCom student of Alva's College told TOI.
Hailing from Bharamasagara village in Chitradurga district, Laxmi said she was forced to move out of her house as her dad was against her competing in sports. "He doesn't like women doing sports, so I was forced to move out. I train at the Barbell House gym under coach Nataraja LE and also work there. That helps me to fund my training and diet," she told TOI. "My brother Vikram Shetty, who is working in Bengaluru, also helps in taking care of my travel expenses when I have to go for tournaments."
Asked about her future plans, Laxmi, a former student of SDM College, Ujire, has a clear roadmap. "Weightlifting is my passion but I want to do well in studies and that's why I had to move out of SAI during my PU days as I was finding it difficult to balance both. I want to focus on the sport for the next five years. My aim is to get into the top-3 ranking and make the Indian squad."