Rezoana Mallick Heena, also known as Heena, is a promising U-18 quarter-miler from West Bengal who has garnered attention for her exceptional performances in recent times. She recently made headlines by breaking the eight-year-old meet record of Bahrain’s former World champion, Salwa Eid Nasser, when she won the girls’ 400m gold at the fifth Asian Under-18 Athletics Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. This article delves into Heena’s life, including her biography, age, height, education, athletic career, net worth, and more. Whether you are an athletics enthusiast or someone simply interested in learning about this rising star, continue reading to discover all the fascinating details.

Rezoana Mallick Heena Biography

Rezoana Mallick Heena was born on 20th March 2007 in Nadia district Bengal, India, into a family of sports enthusiasts. Her father, Rezaul, mother Anima, and uncle Amir Ali, had all played kabaddi at the national level. Heena, who showed an early interest in athletics, was encouraged by her father to pursue running at the age of five. While she enjoyed running and found it fun, she also admits that it was a way to avoid studying. Heena won medals at the district and state levels, and although she finished last in a national talent search in Mumbai, she persevered. Her hard work and dedication paid off when she broke Bahrain’s former World champion Salwa Eid Nasser’s eight-year-old meet record. Heena’s inspiring journey from the village of Sondanga in West Bengal to become a record-breaking athlete is a testament to the power of persistence and determination. This article delves into Rezoana Mallick Heena’s biography and explores her journey as an athlete.

 

Rezoana Mallick Heena Bio

Rezoana Mallick Heena’s background and academic history

Rezoana Mallick Heena grew up in Sonadanga village of West Bengal, where he completed his primary and presently she is a class 10th student. At the age of five-and-a-half years old, Rezoana Heena Mallick embarked on her athletic journey under the guidance of Aniruddha Pal Chowdhury in Krishnanagar. She then continued to develop her skills in middle-distance running when she joined the Kolkata SAI center in 2019, where Kalyan Chowdhury coached her for two years. However, in November 2021, Kalyan Chowdhury left SAI to become the junior national coach, leaving middle-distance runners like Heena without a coach. As a result, Heena had to leave SAI, feeling helpless without proper coaching. Training under local coaches, Aniruddh Pal Choudhary & Kalyan Chowdhury, she won medals at the district and state levels and even competed in a national talent search in Mumbai where she finished last. Heena’s dedication to the sport paid off when scouted by her coach Ajay Arjun on Instagram.

Rezoana Mallick Heena’s Physical statistics 

Heights	Centimeters- 170.18 cm,    In feet and inches: 5’7’’
Weight	Not Known
Eye Color	Black
Hair Colors	Black

Opportunities Discovered via Instagram

Rezoana Mallick Heena’s introduction to Arjun, her current coach, came through an Instagram profile she created on her father’s phone. She followed various athletes, including Priya Mohan, and consistently ‘liked’ Arjun’s posts, which caught his attention. He was intrigued by the videos she posted of herself training on a grass field in a rural area. Despite not having achieved notable results at that point, Arjun recognized her potential, including her height and stride pattern, and decided to contact her. This was a first for Arjun as he had never considered scouting an athlete off Instagram before. After messaging Heena and getting in touch with her family, they agreed to send her to train despite their concerns about the cost. Heena has since adjusted to her new life in the south and is grateful for the support she receives from her coach and fellow athletes, including shoes and kit from Priya Mohan and motherly care from Arjun’s mother. She currently resides in a living space close to the DYES Sports ground located in Bangalore, where she undergoes her training. 

Challenges Encountered During the Journey

There were some minor challenges that arose during Heena’s training with coach Arjun. Despite social media being the means of her initial discovery, Heena had to be discouraged from using Instagram excessively after joining the training program. Arjun recounts her being a stubborn “brat” who would stay up late on her phone, to the point where he had to confiscate the device after she even blocked him on it. Additionally, Heena’s shoulder-length hair was cut to a boy cut for better training results, which improved her timing by two seconds but resulted in teasing from other trainees. While they called her “hyena,” Heena didn’t mind as she believes hyenas are dangerous and so is she, to an extent. Nonetheless, Heena’s performance has steadily improved since she started training with Arjun, setting a U-16 national record in the 300m at the junior national championships in November 2022 and achieving a record-breaking performance in the 400m recently. According to Arjun, Heena’s attitude towards competition and training is incredibly passionate and focused, and she has grown in confidence with every training session and time trial, driven by the belief that Arjun has instilled in her.

Highlights of Rezoana Mallick’s Athletic Career

Rezoana Heena Mallick left an indelible mark at the Youth Asian Championships 2023 held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where she not only triumphed but set a new record. With a breathtaking timing of 52.98 seconds, Heena shattered the previous Youth Asian Championships record of 53.02 seconds, previously held by Salwa Eid Naser.

Heena’s journey from heartbreak in Udipi to glory in Tashkent was fueled by crucial changes in her technique. Rather than solely relying on effort, she focused on enhancing her efficiency. The credit for her remarkable success goes to Coach Arjun Ajay, who first discovered Heena on Instagram a couple of years ago and has since dedicated himself tirelessly to sculpting her into the nation’s leading junior quarter-miler.

Following her gold medal triumph in Tashkent, Heena continued her exceptional performance at the Asian U20 Athletics Championship held on June 4, 2023. Once again, she stood atop the podium, clinching the gold medal in the women’s 400m category with an impressive timing of 53.31 seconds. Furthermore, Heena showcased her incredible sportsmanship when she stumbled and fell during the intense 4x400m relay race. Undeterred by the setback, she swiftly gathered herself, resumed the race, and ultimately secured a well-deserved bronze medal for her team. Her unwavering determination and tenacity serve as a true testament to her character.

Heena Mallick’s journey from triumph to triumph highlights her exceptional talent, relentless dedication, and unwavering spirit. With each victory, she continues to raise the bar and bring honor to her nation. Her achievements serve as an inspiration to aspiring athletes, showcasing the power of resilience and the rewards of the unyielding pursuit of excellence.

Heena’s journey from heartbreak in Udipi to triumph in Tashkent was made possible by some crucial changes in her technique, which focused on improving her efficiency rather than just putting in the effort. Credit for her success goes to Coach Arjun Ajay, who discovered Heena on Instagram a couple of years ago and has worked tirelessly to mold her into the country’s top junior quarter-miler.

Rezoana Mallick Heena’s Records

Rezoana Mallick Heena has a remarkable record in athletics, having won multiple medals at district, state, national, and international levels. She currently holds the national records for both the 400-meter and 300-meter races, as well as the meet record for the Asian U18 Athletic Championship.

Event	Results
Asian U20 Athletics Championship	Gold🥇in 400m in 52.98sec Bronze in 4x400m team relay
Asian U18 Athletic Championship 2023	Gold🥇in 400m in 52.98sec NR, MR Silver🥈in 200m in 24.38sec Gold🥇in 1000m Medley Relay
4TH NATIONAL OPEN 400M CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023- U16 Girls	Gold🥇in 400m in 53.22sec
18TH NATIONAL YOUTH ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023	Gold🥇in 400m in 53.44sec Silver🥈in 200m in 24.61sec
37TH NATIONAL JUNIOR ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2022	Gold🥇in 300m in 38.57sec NR Gold🥇in 1000m Medley Relay

Rezoana Mallick’s Net Worth

No information regarding Rezoana Mallick’s net worth is currently available in the public domain. As she is at the initial stage of her career, data pertaining to her net worth will be updated as it becomes publicly available.

Relationship/Boyfriend of Rezoana Mallick

Rezoana Mallick prefers to maintain the privacy of her personal life. There is no information available about the boyfriend or relationship status of Rezoana Mallick.

Inspiring Role Model

Heena draws inspiration from former legendary USA middle-distance female runner Allyson Felix, who she considers her idol. From a young age, Heena has watched Felix’s training and performance videos, and they continue to motivate her even today. Heena shared that Felix’s training videos have been psychologically helpful for her, and she has learned a lot from watching them.

Reference:

1. Scouted on Instagram, Heena Mallick, 16, finds real life stardom on track – Sportstar (thehindu.com)
2. https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/indias-heena-rezoana-mallick-16-breaks-400m-youth-asian-championship-record-betters-her-u-18-national-record-8595193/