A will of

Sports

By Shailendra Singh

NADIA Prasad made it crystal clear to everyone at the 1983 South Pacific Games that she was going to be a big name in athletics one day. At 15, she was the youngest athlete in Apia, Western Samoa, but still won gold medals in the 1500 m, 3000 m races.

Marriage and two children haven’t slowed Nadia down, almost 10 years later. Today, she is good enough to be considered a strong medal prospect at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, USA.

Born in France, bred in New Cale donia and married to a Fijian, she was rated the world’s 17th best female in the marathon last year. One of her best performances was at the 1993 New York Marathon where she clocked just over 2 hours 31 seconds.

This was less than a minute behind the French national record and only slightly slower than the 2hours 30minutes 42seconds at this year’s Commonwealth Games.

It’s her tremendous improvement that has shaken the international circuit and transformed her from a virtual unkown to a much feared athlete in just three years. Between 1992-1993 alone, Nadia sliced a huge nine minutes off her full marathon time and three minutes off the half marathon, making her the most improved athlete in the events inter

nationally.

Back in the US, fresh from training and competing across France, Nadia has started gaining attention in the US, where she has been living with husband, Binesh Prasad, since 1990.

She thrived under the competition in the US, which draws the world’s best runners with lucrative cash prizes. Her 2hours 39minutess in the Las Vegas marathon in February 1991 was the best time by any Pacific woman ever.

But her true potential as a world class athlete came to light in February 1993 when she finished second in a half marathon behind top American runner, Lisa Widendack.

She clocked Ihour 11 minutes 59seconds, the fastest time by a French girl, not to mention the fastest by any islander. Last year, her lowest placing was fourth and the highest, second. She beat several Olympians last year, among

them Kim Jones (USA), Libbie Johnson

(USA), Wilmar Vanblunka and Babara

Moore (NZ).

On her current performance, Nadia could well outdo another New Cale donian, Alan Lazare, who represented France in the 1988 Olympics. But while Lazare was a big name for France, he

wasn’t as well known internationally, unlike Nadia, who gets her exposure through the US circuit.

Fiercely determined to succeed, the Prasads have made some major sacrifices to reach their current status. Binesh, who holds the Fiji marathon record, is not working and has put his own running career on hold to train and be with Nadia. Otherwise, he’s home looking after their two children.

Nadia is not one to miss training even for a day if she can help it. Two weeks after giving birth to her first child, Anais

Prasad, in Utah on December 8, 1991, she was back on the track, recording her best performances ever.

“She is very dedicated. She’s prepared to do her training whether its raining or snowing,” says Binesh.

There were some worrying moments for the Prasads in early 1992. Nadia took longer to finish her races and tired rather quickly. Several Fijian male runners she used to beat in training, were now

leaving her trailing behind,

“I thought the Fiji boys must be getting better,” she recalled with a laugh.

Nadia and Binesh: teaming up to succeed

On impulse, she bought a pregnancy test kit off the counter and was astounded when it showed positive. Another test at clinic confirmed she was four-and-half months pregnant. She kept training until she was seven months pregnant, with Binesh’s full support.

Their daughter Anita was born on November 5. Six days later Nadia was back in training. While Nadia can handle the workouts, being away from her children, sometimes for weeks at a time, is harder.

“These sacrifices we have to make,” she said. “During the New York mara thon, we didn’t see our children for six weeks. That’s the hardest part. But if you want to succeed, you have to make sacrifices,” she said.

One of Nadia’s best performances last year was at the French National Cham pionships in July. She came second in the 10km in 33mins01s, which was only a second slower than the winner.

This performance saw her selection for the world championships, an event she missed out in 1992 because of pregnancy.

Athletics officials in France, who initially did not want to recognise Nadia’s times in the United States, were forced to bend a few rules to accommo date her, in light of her stunning

improvements.

One of Nadia’s favourite memories was her performance in Boulder, Colarado in 1992. She had finished 11th in the same 10km race year earlier while four months pregnant.

“She went back knowing that she could do better this time,” Binesh said.

Nadia came second, beating, among others Australian Lisa Ondiekie, the 1992 New York marathon record holder and double Commonwealth games

champion.

In December, the Prasads competed in the South Pacific Mini Games in Vanu atu. Representing New Caledonia, Nadia took the 800 m, 1500 and 3000 m golds while Binesh won the marathon for Fiji. It’s likely that Vauautu was Nadia’s last South Pacific Games appearance.

“She has to choose between being famous in the South Pacific or being the best in the world,” explains Binesh.

It was companionship rather than competition that drew the Prasad’s to Vanautu. “I wanted to meet the New Caledonian athletes again,” said Nadia, whose French parents emigrated to New Caledonia when she was four years old.”

The laid-back atmosphere in Vanautu was also a chance to get away from the pressures of the bigger international races.

“The South Pacific Games is very friendly. There is a lot of tension in the

bigger races,” Nadia explained.

While currently listed under France, Nadia is eligible to represent Fiji in Atlanta using the Olympic charter on marriage. She has considered this but it will depend on the kind of financial assistance the Fiji government is willing to provide towards her preparations. Her

travelling, training and competing ex

penses are up to $F50,000 per year.

Because of Binesh and the contribution he has made to her career, Nadia has considered wearing Fiji colours in At lanta.

Married for nearly six years, the couple first met at the 1983 Games.

“She was the youngest athlete and running so well. My cousin’s name was also Nadia, that’s why it struck me,”

Binesh said. They renewed their friend ship at the 1986 Games when they met again at an international event in New Caledonia.

Binesh admitted he was more con cerned about seeing Nadia again than about the event, and sought counseling from his trainer and mentor, Atma

Maharaj.

Maharaj, a respected figure in Fiji

athletics, gave Binesh a long leash after exctracting a promise that his “extra curricular” activities would not affect his

performance.

Nadia was in hospital with an appen dix problem during the New Caledonia event. Within moments of hearing this, Binesh was at her bedside with a bunch of flowers and they exchanged addresses

in hospital.

Nadia could barely speak English and

Binesh didn’t know a word of French.

She now speaks English fluently after

attending classes in the US, while Binesh is still struggling with his French — it’s a far cry from the days when they

communicated with sign language.

Nadia’s letters to Binesh were first written in French and then translated in English with a dictionary - a painstaking task which, she said, took her a good five to six hours.

Binesh made a tacit proposal in his second letter. “I asked her if she was interested in marrying a sports person, but never mentioned the person I had in mind was myself,” he said.

Nadia replied that getting married to a runner was her dream. At the 1987 South Pacific Games in Noumea, Nadia introduced Binesh to her family. They were married two years later in the US, and in July 1990, had a French wedding in New Caledonia.

According to Nadia, their five-year

friendship and marriage also helped

foster good relations between Fiji and New Caledonian athletes.

“There’s no more tension between the two countries now. They exchange T-shirts, which rarely happened before,” she said.

Nadia continues to improve and by all indications, she will triumph in Atlanta.

She came close to some records in the big US races this year and is sure to be a feared runner in the marathon.

Constantly hounded by the US media, Nadia has her own press officer. No one from the South Pacific has ever won an Olympic medal. Nadia could well be come the first one. □