Spunky Sneha wants to make it count
Jim Rohn once said, “For every disciplined effort there is a multiple reward.” Bengaluru teenager T. Sneha’s efforts have yielded results at the right time. After scorching the pool on the domestic circuit, the bespectacled Sneha will now rub shoulders with some of the best swimmers at the Commonwealth Games next month. A last minute inclusion in the team, Sneha said the call came as a surprise.
“I couldn’t believe it. It took lot of time for the news to sink in,” Sneha said. Aiming for a berth in the CWG squad, Sneha trained hard to come up with a commendable show at the Asian Youth Championships in June and Asian age-group championships earlier this year. “I finished 11th in the 50m freestyle event at the Asian Youth Championships and eighth in the Asian age-group championships. I wasn’t very happy with my performance. As a result I wasn’t picked in the CWG squad,” added the Bishop Cotton Girls School student.
With an inspiring haul of medals and trophies at the state and national level, Sneha was the obvious choice for coach Pradeep Kumar, when national champion Richa Mishra was dropped for the team. For Sneha, competing with the best swimmers will be a challenge. “Filling in Richa’s place will be a real challenge for me. I will be up against competitors from England, Australia, Malaysia and Singapore,” explained the tenacious Sneha, who will be competing in the 50M and 4x100 freestyle relay events.
Currently training at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Swimming Complex in New Delhi, Sneha, who trains at the Basvanagudi Aquatic Centre believes, “Training at the venue will give us an added advantage. Our schedule includes two sessions on a daily basis. We also work out at the local gym near the swimming complex.”
Apart from Sneha, Rohit Havaldar, Rehan Poncha, Fariha Zaman, C. Shubha, Gagan AP, Aaron D’Souza and Pooja R Alva are the other swimmers from Karnataka. “I will take tips from the seniors. This will help me overcome pressure,” said the second youngest member of the team. Sneha is looking forward to this rare opportunity of taking on the best in a big meet at home.
“My target is to qualify for the finals. I know it will be a tough task but I will give my best. It’s a proud moment for me to represent the country on such a big stage,” signed off Sneha.
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