Solomon Ghosh has been one of Blacksburg High School’s most productive throwers this track and field season. He has rewritten the school’s record book with a recent discus throw of over 180 feet.
Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
For 18-year-old Solomon Ghosh, his discus throw at last week’s William Byrd track meet in Roanoke raised a lot of eyebrows.
He had a heave of 170 feet, six inches and onlookers were calling it monstrous, but it was nothing out of the ordinary for the Blacksburg High School senior.
He broke Blacksburg’s school record earlier this spring that had been on the books for 27 years with a throw of 180 feet and 6.5 inches, which got him an invitation to compete at the Penn Relays.
Ghosh also set the meet record at the Tri-State meet in Johnson City, which qualified him for another national meet. Some rankings have him as the number one discus thrower in the state of Virginia and in the top 40 nationally.
His work in the weight room has been described as phenomenal, weighing 180 pounds with seven percent body fat, while benching over 360 pounds. During the offseason, Ghosh attended several throw camps and has continued to improve at every meet.
He is trying to write an athletic story people will take notice of, all awhile standing as an example off the track.
Ghosh was diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 16. In the summer of 2016, he discovered a tumor after football practice. He had surgery to remove the tumor along with orchiectomy and is now in remission.
“I felt lucky that I caught it early and that I wouldn’t be needing chemotherapy. I kept an optimistic view about my situation. I felt proud to be able to return to Blacksburg High School’s football team in the fall and be a part of the state championship team,” he said.
Testicular cancer is rare for teens, but overall it is the most common cancer in males ages 15-35. According to the American Cancer Society, it is almost always curable if caught and treated early.
Ghosh remains under regular surveillance protocol.
His battle with cancer at such a young age has pushed him even harder when it comes to sports especially in the discus.
“I appreciate life more and don’t take things for granted. It has made me live in the moment. It has also given me a deeper sense of confidence to take on life’s challenges on and off the field. I was in the best shape of my life when I was diagnosed with cancer. Since then, I have been working hard to rebuild my strength and fitness levels to the best of my abilities. I want to be the best athlete I can be,” he said.
Ghosh came back much stronger because he was determined to bounce back.
“My message is: don’t feel sorry for yourself, use the experience to motivate yourself to be better than you were before the cancer. I am living proof that it is possible,” he said.
He began throwing his sophomore year, after injuring himself while sprinting. “I began to have success in the two events (discus and shot), so I kept working on it and taught myself the techniques by watching YouTube videos of world class throwers,” Ghosh said. “I want to continuously improve on my performances in track and field.”
His ultimate goal is to attend a Division 1 university and compete in throwing events and study wildlife management, environmental conservation and international relations.
Ghosh is one of those youngsters that are determined to be a success both on and off the track.
He summed up his dedication with a poem he recently wrote called “Strength.”
“I feel the pressure trying to push me into the earth and fail.
All the weight of my self-doubt pushing down on me,
I quiver and shake but I keep pushing through
Veins bulge and muscles quake and teeth grind, but I embrace struggle.
The pressure becomes mine and I own the weight,
I refuse to give in and I conquer the gravity against my soul.
My doubt becomes my past and
I prepare myself for the next challenge.”