Balancing a profession and a career in sports is not something that everyone can do effortlessly. Dr. Anokhi Patel, a city resident, demonstrated how to excel in both with ease. Anokhi won a gold medal for India in powerlifting in the junior category at the World Powerlifting Congress’s recently concluded Amateur World Powerlifting Congress (AWPC) World Championship in Manchester, UK. She also set a new world record in the equipped junior category in the process.
The 23-year-old intern at a civic body-run hospital in Maninagar lifted a total of 325kg. It included a deadlift of 137.5kg, a squat of 135kg, and a bench press of 52.5kg.
After returning from Manchester, Anokhi said, “I am ecstatic. This is something I’ve been putting a lot of effort into for a long time. It is always good to see your hard work come to fruition.”
Thanking her family and support staff, Anokhi, who lives with her parents in the Sindhu Bhavan area said, “I am fortunate that I come from a privileged background. I have received immense support from my family to pursue my passion.”
Being powerlifter made robust doctor
Asked about the challenge of striking a balance between being a doctor and a powerlifter, she said, “It’s quite challenging sometimes to balance both medicine and powerlifting. Being in the profession has helped me become a sincere powerlifter and being a powerlifter has made me a robust doctor.”
The inspiration to take up powerlifting came from her father Dr. Hemant Patel, a radiologist with a city-based private hospital, who had bagged a medal in the sport in 2016 at the nationals.
“My father’s feat in powerlifting at the national championship in 2016 inspired me to take up the sport,” she stated.
She feels that her achievement has made it possible for people to believe that both passion and profession can be pursued
simultaneously. “I feel one can strongly pursue a passion outside the professional sphere. It can help alleviate the pressure in a demanding career like medicine,” she said.
Praising her for the feat, powerlifter Indrasingh Gurjar, who coached Anokhi, told, “After many years, a powerlifter from Gujarat has won a gold medal in the junior category. Four years ago, my wife won a medal in the senior category and last week, Anokhi secured a gold medal. It is a proud moment to see my student shine on the global stage.”
