Assam's Gongutri returns from road accident to win cycling gold

Gold medallist Gongutri Bordoloi's cycling dream may have ended even before it took wing, if her mother had had her way.

Five years back, the girl from Naogaon in Assam, suffered a massive road accident while training: it left her with a broken collarbone and multiple lacerations, injuries that kept her off the saddle for over a year.

At the Khelo India Youth Games here on Monday, she won the U-21 girls road race cycling gold medal.

"When she saw my state, my mother put her foot down, and told me to give up the sport," the 17-year-old said.

"But my father, a policeman, stood by my side, fought for me and made me cling on to my passion when I could have been down and almost out."
"I switched over to the pursuit and the road recently. Even today I was nervous, because I didn't want to crash. I saw the commotion behind me and ensured I wasn't near it."