In the far-flung and often inaccessible Lakshadweep islands, where track-and-field athletes train on simple mud tracks due to the absence of proper stadiums, a remarkable talent has emerged. Nineteen-year-old Mubassina Mohammed, the daughter of a coconut plucker, has achieved what many thought impossible, becoming the first international athlete from this Union Territory and rapidly establishing herself as one of India’s leading long jumpers.
Mubassina’s journey is a testament to resilience, having overcome significant obstacles, including financial hardship and the severe lack of athletic infrastructure in her tiny home — a mere 32 square kilometers with a population under 70,000.
Her international debut came at the 2022 Asian Under-18 Championships in Kuwait, where she impressively secured a silver medal in both long jump and heptathlon, marking her as Lakshadweep’s pioneering international track-and-field star.
Earlier this month, Mubassina showcased her potential further by winning gold at the National U-23 Championships with a leap of 6.36m, a mark not officially recognized by World Athletics due to missing wind speed measurements. However, her 6.30m gold-winning jump at the National U-20 Championships has already placed her among the top six Indian long jumpers this season. She is currently honing her skills under the guidance of Robert Bobby George, India’s renowned horizontal jump coach, at his Bengaluru academy, co-founded with his wife and long jump legend, Anju Bobby George.
Reflecting on her humble beginnings, Mubassina shared in an interview, “The whole of Lakshadweep has no proper stadium. There is no synthetic track for running, nor a 400m track. I am from Minicoy Island, which only has a 200m mud track for running.” She added, “If it rains, we cannot use the mud track for running or long jump practice. And if people are playing football, which is the most popular sport here, we barely find space for our training.”
Athletics runs in Mubassina’s family; her father, Mohammed, was a long-distance runner in his youth, participating in local ‘mini marathon’ races for prize money. Mubassina herself recalls winning prize money for a 6km race when she was just in the fifth grade.
“My father is a coconut climber, hired by people to pluck coconuts. My mother, Dubina Banu, runs a small tea stall, which helps sustain our family,” Mubassina explained, painting a picture of their modest life.
Training under her childhood coach, Ahmed Jawad Hassan, in Kavaratti, Lakshadweep’s capital, presented its own set of logistical challenges due to limited transport. To ensure Mubassina could train consistently, her entire family made the significant decision to relocate to Kavaratti for nearly two years. “There’s only one ferry trip a day to Kavaratti, so daily commutes were impossible. My parents decided we would all move there for two years,” Mubassina recounted. “My sister, my two younger twin brothers, and I all took school admissions in Kavaratti, where I completed my eleventh and twelfth grades.”
Following this, Mubassina moved to Kerala, training at the National Centre of Excellence in Thiruvananthapuram for eighteen months before joining the Anju Bobby George Foundation. While she initially competed in both heptathlon and long jump under Hassan, her focus this year is solely on the long jump. She briefly returned home from Kerala, finding it difficult to adapt to the new food and living conditions.
Robert Bobby George learned about Mubassina’s talent through friends in Lakshadweep, and the Union Territory administration also reached out to him to recommend her. Two years prior, Robert had invited her to join his academy, but her youth and apprehension about being away from home made her hesitant.
“One day, she called me from Trivandrum, mentioning she was the only girl in her jumps group there. We have an excellent female team here. The idea was to expose her to the best coaching methodologies early in her career,” Robert shared. “I told her an observation camp would be held six months later. We assess not just an athlete’s physical abilities but also their attitude to ensure they are committed to a long-term journey.”
He continued, “We have specific parameters: physical characteristics and attitude. We evaluate both.” Robert first noticed Mubassina’s potential at the National U-18 championships in Bhopal.
“We have initiated a series of investigations for her, including biochemistry tests, biomechanical analysis, and other lab tests. The next two years will be challenging, but once she stabilizes around 19 years old, she should be fine,” Robert noted. He plans to visit Lakshadweep in December to meet Mubassina’s parents and gain a deeper understanding of the environment she grew up in. “It’s truly inspiring to see someone from such a small island reach the international stage. I’m proud to have played a part in supporting her,” Robert concluded.