Fahima Akhter Moyna grew up as a weightlifter from her childhood and decorated her colorful life with winning medals at national and international levels.
Moyna, a prolific weightlifter despite winning 20 gold medals at the national level and huge contribution to the country’s women’s weightlifting in her engagement for the last two decades, was not considered for the national award.
Moyna, when talking to the Bangladesh Post during weightlifting competition of the Sheikh Kamal 2nd Bangladesh Youth Games at the Bangladesh Army Sport Complex on Thursday, shared some of the stories of her sports life.
Moyna explained about how she became a lifter, as she said that her neighbor FerozaKhatun, a veteran weightlifter played the significant role of her (Moyna) becoming to a lifter from a little girl from of a village of Keranigang.
“I was a student of primary school and used to come at weightlifting federation with ‘FerozaApa’ and having her close touch, once I got huge interest on the sports and started to practice of lifting from that very boyhood.
“My first time participation was in a junior level in a club cup tournament in 2002 and won silver medal at the first appearance in the competition, which was also a turning point of my life to be a lifter in top level. Winning the first medal (silver) at the junior stage was a great inspiration for me and then I did not look back and set my target to be a top level competitor.”
“In 2003 again I won a silver medal in another club cup competition and at the same year the national event took place and that was my first time to compete in the national level.”
Moyna when detailed about her national level participation said, “From my first time appearance in 2003 till 2022 I won 20 gold medals, I left none of the national championship without winning the gold medal. I broke the national record for several occasions, even I also broke my record for several times, in 2013 and 2021 in Bangladesh Games I also set a new national record breaking my own record, even last year (2022) it was in September or October in the national evet I made another new record in my event in 58 kg category. I started from 53 kg category and then I have been competing in the 58 Kg.”
“I won medal in my first international participation in 2008 in the Youth Commonwealth Games in Pune, I won bronze in that occasion.
I participated in one SA Games in 2019 in Nepal and won bronze medal, in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi could not win medal, participated I Asian Games 2010 in china, I was 13th out of 20 participants in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow Scotland, I also participated in the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia,” Moyna informed about her participation in inter international circuit.”
Moyna also remembers her mentors and the peoples have been supporting her to build up her career when she said, “Wing Commander Mohiuddin Sir, Mojibor Rahman, FaruqueSarkerKazal (coach), Mohammed Raihan Fakir, Nemai Kumar DasDeroz Mahmud all inspired and supported me a lot, in fact all the directors including the top boss of the Ansar VDP have a great passion for sports.”
“I joined at Ansar VDP in 2001 as daily allowance system, then after winning gold in 2003, I was appointed as a permanent in 2004.