26-Aug-2008 230
Orissa Powerlifting Association (OPA) today appealed public and private corporate houses to sponsor ``Iron woman`` Ranu Mohanty for her participation in the World Powerlifting Championship to be held at Canada in November.
OPA president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo and secretary Chitta Ranjan Swain tipped Ranu as a medal prospect and hoped that sponsors would come forward to bear the cost (aroud Rs 2 lakh) of her participation.
This would be Ranu``s third appearance in the World meet, where she bagged a bronze in squat at Norway, two years ago. She qualified for the forthcoming edition by winning the gold medal in the 75 kg weight class of the Senior National championship at Durg (Chhattisgarh) earlier this month.
A trainee of city-based Utkal Karate School, Ranu has secured one gold and two silver medals in three successive Asian championships so far. Also National weightlifting champion, Ranu has been working hard under the guidance of Hari Prasad Pattnaik for the past four years.
But despite her outstanding achievements, she remains unemployed and is struggling to find sponsors for participation in the international meets.
"Sometime, I am thinking of leaving the state or quitting the sport because of lack of employment opportunity and sponsorship,"rued the ace lifter.
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