Hyderabadi girls defy odds to qualify for World Sailing Championship

Jhansipriya Laveti, Vaishnavi Veeravamsham will represent India at the Optimist World Championship in the under-16 category, at Lake Riva Del Garda, Italy, from July 1

Hyderabad: Notwithstanding their humble backgrounds, two Hyderabad girls – Jhansipriya Laveti and Vaishnavi Veeravamsham – are set to participate in the upcoming Optimist World Championship in the under-16 category. The two girls have been selected to represent the country in the event which will be held at the Lake Riva Del Garda, in Italy from July 1.

This is the first time that two girls from the city are representing the country in an international sailing event. The competition will witness around 264 sailors from across 60 countries, making it one of the highly-contested events.

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Jhansipriya’s mother is a single parent and works as part of the housekeeping team at Yashoda Hospital. This is Jhansipriya’s fourth international tour after the 2019 Oman Asians and Atlantic Week in Portugal and Spain. Vaishnavi’s mother works as a domestic help at various houses. Both are students of Udbhav School at Rasoolpura and train at the Yacht Club of Hyderabad under coach Suheim Sheikh. Having started sailing in 2018, both climbed up the ladder in the Indian fleet and now Jhansipriya is ranked India’s No.1 while Vaishnavi is ranked No. 2 in the sub-junior category.

“We both are looking to move up the ladder to the Olympic and Asian Games Class, the Laser, and participate in the forthcoming Asian trials to be held in Hyderabad in August given that this is our last year in the under-16 category,” said a confident Vaishnavi who is eagerly looking to shift to the Lasers and the 29er under the watchful eyes of her coach.

“Both girls are training hard and I do hope that Covid related visa issues and quarantine issues do not spoil the party. Fingers crossed,” said Suheim Sheikh. The duo and their pacing teammates are moving into a bubble to ensure they are at the top of their fitness and to ensure intensive practice sessions.

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