Doha: The downpour that has been lashing the city here since Thursday morning has dampened the spirits of many, but not Soma Biswas. The Bengal athlete, who had an off day, is determined to take home a medal from heptathlon whatever the weather be at the Khaliffa Stadium on Friday.

Sitting at the Athletes’ Village on Thursday morning, Soma, who won silver in Busan Asian Games, said her aim would be to finish in the medal bracket. “I know I will face some strong challenge from Kazakhstan and Japan athletes, but I am sure to strike a medal if can reach around 5900 to 5950 points. That is not an easy target, but I am confident of getting that.”

“Last December I was here for a practice meet,” recalled Soma. “That time they had just laid the athletics track at the Khaliffa Stadium. We requested the organisers and were allowed to have a look at the track. So, at least I have an idea about what the nature of the track here could be.”

It would certainly be better to have a clear weather, but Soma feels the chilly wind could pose more problem than the rain. “What I am really missing here is the presence of Sushmita (Singha Roy) and my coach Kuntalda (Roy). But I do talk to him regularly.”

About her rivals in the heptathlon event, Soma said the main challenge is likely to come from Olga Rypakova and Irina Naumenko of Kazakhstan and Yuki Nakata of Japan. “They are extremely good and have the ability to pip anyone to the post.”

Olga, Soma said, has 6111 points as year’s best. “Irina, I believe, scored 5912 and Nakata 5871. I am confident of bettering those marks, but in that case I have to do well in long jump and high jump events,” said the Bengal athlete. “Olga is very good in long jump, while the other two are equally good in both long jump and high jump. Those are the two events where I am perhaps a little behind them.”

Soma, whose best this year is 5857 points, said winning a medal is not her main concern. “Previously I used to get tensed about winning medals. These days, I do keep an eye on the medal, but at the same time I try to improve my own performance.”

The other Indian in heptathlon is JJ Sobha. She qualified for the Asian Games after a fresh trial in New Delhi where she scored 5862 points, which was incidentally her season’s best. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) then included Sobha in the team and dropped Sushmita.