I wish to participate and win a medal for Nagaland in National level: Tsuchoi T

Outstanding Sportswoman Tsuchoi T highlights hurdles faced by Nagaland’s athletes

Tsuchoi T, a 24-year-old athlete from Noklak District and a trainee from the State Sports Academy in Dimapur, was recognized as the ‘Outstanding Sportswoman’ at the recently concluded North East Games 2024 for winning 6 medals including four gold and two silver at various categories of relay races.

Tsuchoi’s journey in athletics began at a young age, marked by notable achievements such as clinching two gold medals and a bronze at the track events during the 2018 North East Olympics held in Imphal, Manipur. Her dedication and skill were further showcased when she was among those who represented Nagaland in the 56th National Cross-Country Championships (NCCC) 2022, securing a bronze in the women’s 10km category for the state. In fact, in the North-East States category, she secured first in the women’s 10 km category.

Expressing her aspirations, Tsuchoi stated to Mokokchung Times, “I wish to participate and at least win a medal for Nagaland at the national level,” underscoring her determination to excel further and potentially compete on the international stage someday.

Tsuchoi shared that meeting many successful athletes from other states, who had turned their passion for sports into successful careers, served as an inspiration for her to wholeheartedly commit to running professionally.

Tsuchoi had loved sports since childhood and it has been ten years since she embarked on her path as a competitive runner at the age of 14.

Expressing gratitude towards the recent initiatives by the Nagaland government to promote sports, Tsuchoi remarked, “The government’s increased focus on sports is highly encouraging, especially considering the past when the sports sector was relatively weak in our state.”

However, despite her dedication to sports, Tsuchoi acknowledged the numerous hurdles Nagaland faces in nurturing athletes, from inadequate training facilities to a scarcity of essential equipment.

“We really need a lot of equipment for our training purposes but we lack those in our state. Here in Dimapur, during the rainy season, we even find it difficult to run in the ground,’ she said.

She also emphasized the need for professional trainers and coaches, along with the existing ones, to significantly boost athletes in the state. Additionally, she highlighted the financial challenges associated with the sport and the lack of necessary facilities such as physiotherapy, adding, “Our sport is also very expensive and injury-prone.”

Tsuchoi also addressed the challenges athletes face during travel, citing exhaustion from long train journeys, which can adversely impact performance.

Furthermore, she expressed concerns about the lack of security and a safety net post-retirement, which has led many athletes to give up on their pursuits.

“Even I sometimes worry about my future. I won’t be growing any younger, and I can only run for a certain period, while going back to the farm is a challenge; so I am worried about what I’ll do after my retirement,” she shared.

Tsuchoi admitted to quitting academic education after Class 10 when she realized that pursuing sports as a career involved many days of training and traveling, therefore missing out on academic classes.

When asked about government support, Tsuchoi expressed her desire for more security and incentives for players who excel, emphasizing the importance of focusing on grassroots development.

“I really wish they would secure our future. And also, focus on the grassroots and pay attention to when the players are really excelling. This would really take our state’s sportspeople to a global level,” she said.

Mokokchung Times