Hyderabad: Two girls from Telangana have been shortlisted to participate at the World Championships to be hled at Lake Riva Del Garda, Italy, from July 1 to 12.
Jhansi Priya and sibling Dharani Laveti are guaranteed a spot in the squad. But, a lot still depends on their performances at the Nationals at Mumbai to be held later this year in the month of May. It also depends on the funding to finally clear their entries.
Jhansi and Dharani finished a creditable 44th and 59th out of 181 sailors at the Atlantic Week at Vigo, Spain, in October in the open category and are gunning for medals at the Nationals.
To double the good news four girls from Telangana are in the National ‘A’ Squad and all set to go for the Asian & amp, Oceanian Championships at Trincomalee, in Sri Lanka, from June 6-12 where the Monsoon winds could be a smashing 18 knots.
This is an Olympic year. And all funding from the Sports Ministry is focused on the Games to be held in July. And these sub junior girls have to spend for themselves. The Yacht Club has however confirmed that no stones shall be left unturned to ensure that all the girls participate and make full use of this opportunity to gain international exposure. Participation in large international fleets, an official said, and will only serve towards improving their boat handling, tactics, strategy and competitive edge while the girls have earned a spot through sheer dint of hard work.
The Telangana girls represented India at the 2019 Oman Asians and while Preethi and Lakshmi migrated to the Juniors from Sub-juniors. Jhansi Priya was ranked 17 amongst girls in Asia and could well be in the reckoning for a medal at Trincomalee. The last time India got a Sub Junior Asian medal was by Harishta Tomar of Madhya Pradesh who got a Bronze in 2014 at the Qatar Asians.
“This is matter of great pride for us and the girls have lost no time in stepping up intensive fitness and sailing sessions. Including Jhansi Priya, 3 girls are guaranteed a spot at the Asians and we hope to squeeze in a fourth depending on their performance at the Nationals in Mumbai end of April month. All girls turn 14 this year and have one more year to seek the podium at both the Asians and Worlds. This experience will only help increase their medal potential,” said Suheim Sheikh their Coach and the President of the Yacht Club of Hyderabad.
Jhansi Priya who’s mother works at Yashoda Hospital is all excited to represent India once again. “After the Oman Asians and Atlantic Week at Spain and Portugal I am supremely confident of getting a medal,” said Jhansi.
Jhansi is currently ranked No.2 in India and 17th in Asian and with improved fitness daily monitored by Suchitra Academy. Jhansi is gearing up to compete with the best in the World.
Her sister Dharani Laveti is ranked third but given that she has moved to the Laser Olympic Class is planning to wait for the Marve Nationals to decide if she plans to go international in the sub juniors or move up to the juniors at the next Laser Nationals.
Compatriots Vaishnavi Veeravamsham and Parandi Ravali also are from Telangana currently ranked fourth and fifth in India but have no Asian record as yet and will make their debut at Trincomalee in June.
Both are on the waitlist for the Worlds and practicing hard for the Nationals at Mumbai. Ravali finished a spectacular 10th girl at the Atlantic Week at Portugal last October, her first European Regatta in icy cold weather beating all her compatriots from India and could well turn up a dark horse.
The girls are studying at the IIM-Ahmedabad Alumni funded school Udbhav at Rasoolpura that supports them in their sailing endeavours that had produced three National Champions before.
