During the closing ceremony of the SFA Championships at the Dravid-Padukone Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, international track athlete Harmilan Bains took center stage. Reflecting on her journey, which included winning silver medals in the 800m and 1500m events at the 2022 Asian Games, Harmilan shared insights into her early sporting days, the heightened expectations stemming from her athletic family background, and her ascent to the pinnacle of her sport.
You come from a sporting family in which both of your parents are professional athletes. Did that add pressure when you began your journey?
Starting out, I felt a significant weight of expectation. Athletics and sports were woven into the fabric of my childhood from as early as third grade. The phrase “Just get me a medal in the Asian Games” echoed frequently in our household.
With my mother’s own medal achievement at the 2002 Asian Games, there was a natural desire for me to follow in her footsteps, to make history repeat itself. So, I set out to secure not just one, but two medals! Yet, when my training sessions didn’t always go as planned, I faced a barrage of questions from my parents that were hard to answer.
Despite the challenges, I’ve come to realize that this added pressure serves as a driving force for me to reach even greater milestones.
What do you think about the opportunities that upcoming talent in India receive, in contrast to the opportunities you had when you started off? How important do you think these platforms and championships are for the next generation of athletes?
When I first delved into sports, I had a foundation thanks to my sporting family background. However, the kids and adults in my village were unfamiliar with my pursuits. I believe modern platforms are fantastic because they educate children from a young age, unlike in my time. Take China, for example—they identify potential talent in schoolchildren as early as second or third grade and nurture their skills. Our country could benefit from similar initiatives to cultivate more athletes. A robust sports culture fosters national strength and pride.
Social media plays a huge part in people’s lives nowadays, especially if you are a sportsperson with a fan following. How will you suggest maintaining a balance between the two?
Achieving balance isn’t as daunting as many believe, especially in the realm of elite sports. A keen sense of timing is crucial for top performance. Personally, I adhere to strict schedules for social media usage, ensuring I don’t surpass allocated time slots. Commercial endeavors, like shoots, are reserved for the off-season, allowing ample focus on training during peak periods.
During mileage-building phases, typical for middle-distance runners, I engage in lengthy training sessions four times weekly. Outside of this, I indulge in diverse interests such as social media engagement, travel, and shoots.
However, come mid-season, I streamline my focus, temporarily shelving these extracurricular pursuits. Observers might perceive distinct “Harmilans” during off and mid-season periods due to this shift in priorities.
