Athletics

Clearing hurdles, on and off the track

Roksana Begum of Bangladesh Army on her way to a 100m hurdles victory. Photo: Firoz Ahmed

Hurdles don't just exist on the track. For some athletes, the barriers begin long before the starting gun is fired.

On the second day of the 17th National Summer Athletics Championships on Saturday, Roksana Begum sprinted through the finish line in the women's 100m hurdles with a time of 15 seconds -- a performance that crowned her champion yet again. It's the second time this year she has taken the national title in this event, having won earlier in February. But the track is only a small part of Roksana's story.

She grew up in Sonapur, a quiet corner of Noakhali, where dreams don't often stretch as far as national stadiums. Her father drove a microbus, and with three brothers and a sister depending on her, Roksana became the family's main source of income. Since 2020, she has served in the Bangladesh Army -- a job that not only allows her to support her loved ones but also keeps her athletic ambitions alive.

"My salary from the army helps me take care of my family," she said after winning her race at the National Stadium's athletics track.

Her journey into sports began with long jump, guided by coach Rafiqullah Milon. He later encouraged her to take up hurdles -- a suggestion that would shape her career. But getting to this point wasn't just about athletic training. She had to overcome the questions thrown at her in her village. "People didn't understand. They questioned what I was doing, where I was going," Roksana recalled. "They didn't know I was training."

Tanvir Islam Faisal of Bangladesh Army leaves his competitors on his wake en route to winning a third straight 110m hurdles gold. Photo: Firoz Ahmed

Across the men's field, Tanvir Faisal, also representing the Bangladesh Army, claimed his third straight title in the men's 110m hurdles. It's a feat few can match, yet Tanvir knows his discipline doesn't always get the recognition it deserves. "We're athletes too, just like the 100m sprinters. But the spotlight rarely falls on us," he exclaimed.

For Tanvir, hurdles are more than an event. "Athletics is about struggle. You can see that just by looking at me," he joked. "But I love it. Hurdles are where I belong."

His latest win added another gold to his name, but it's the first title that still lights up his memory. "Nothing beats the first time. That joy -- you don't forget it."

As the championships come to a conclusion on Sunday, names will fade from the headlines. But for Roksana and Tanvir, the real stories aren't written on leaderboards. They're found in early-morning training runs, in overcoming doubts, in chasing a future that once seemed out of reach.

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বাংলাদেশ-পাকিস্তান সম্পর্ক এগিয়ে নিতে ৭১-ইস্যুকে ‘ডিল’ করা উচিত: এনসিপি

ঢাকায় সফররত পাকিস্তানের উপপ্রধানমন্ত্রী ও পররাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রীর সঙ্গে বৈঠকে জাতীয় নাগরিক পার্টির (এনসিপি) নেতারা বলেছেন, বাংলাদেশ-পাকিস্তান সম্পর্ক এগিয়ে নিতে ৭১-ইস্যুকে ‘ডিল’ করা উচিত।

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