New Delhi: Sushmita Singha Roy is determined than ever before. That determination was writ large when she boarded the flight to Amman to participate in the Asian Athletics Championship beginning on July 25.

“Winning a medal (in the Asian championship) is nothing new to me,” the Bengal heptahlete told The Telegraph just before leaving for Jordan. “But I have a point to prove this time,” she said rather firmly.

Sushmita’s state of mind is not difficult to read. Last year the gritty athlete was dumped out of the Doha Asian Games squad.

In an obvious move to accommodate J.J. Sobha, the Athletic Federation of India called for fresh heptathlon trials in Delhi and duly selected the Andhra Pradesh girl. Sushmita preferred to stay away from the trials.

On her shattered Asian Games dream, Sushmita chose to look ahead.

“What happened was painful. I don’t want to talk about it. In the last Asian meet at Incheon, I won a silver medal. This time, too, I am hopeful of returning with a medal,” she said.

Sushmita’s career-best performance came in the Federation Cup in Delhi last year. “This year I am yet to reach that level, but my coach Kuntal Roy is confident that I will do well,” Sushmita said.

“I actually get more confident before any international meet,” said Sushmita.

“In the World Youth championships in Moscow in 2000, I was a raw athlete, but won a bronze. I won’t disappoint my well wishers in Amman too.”