Visakhapatnam ladies Dontara Greeshma and Akula Sai Samhitha who shall be representing India on the Asian Video games within the free type inventive skating occasion to be held in China.
| Picture Credit score: Particular Association

It’s a sunny morning at Dhelpur, a suburb in Mohali, the place a crew of skaters is practising underneath the watchful eyes of its coaches. There isn’t a scope for errors as they glide gracefully. Amongst them are Akula Sai Samhitha and Dontara Greeshma who shall be representing India on the Asian Video games within the free type inventive skating occasion to be held in China in September and October this yr.

With lower than two months to go for the celebrated continental multi-sport occasion, the skaters are present process rigorous coaching for 15 days within the camp at Dhelpur earlier than they head again to Visakhapatnam, their hometown, and begin their remaining preparations.

Visakhapatnam lady Akula Sai Samhitha who shall be representing India on the Asian Video games within the free type inventive skating occasion to be held in China
| Picture Credit score:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

“The temper is one in every of nervous pleasure right here. I’m assured of engaged on my strategies and are available out stronger,” says 18-year-old Samhitha, as she winds up the morning coaching session. A pupil of BTech at Andhra College School of Engineering for Girls, Visakhapatnam, Samhitha first kitted out in skating gear when she was four-and-a-half years previous. Beneath the steerage of her father Akula Pavan Kumar, a nationwide coach who has educated skaters for Asian championships and World championships, Samhitha labored her method up slowly and steadily in inventive skating and bagged 68 gold, 21 silver and 7 bronze medals in varied worldwide, nationwide, State and district degree competitions.

“In inventive skating, approach and energy are two essential components. These must be developed over a time period. Samhitha used to place in 5 hours of day by day apply until she reached Class X. These had been essential years to hone her talent,” says her father Pavan Kumar. Then, focus shifted to teachers for some time. Samhitha is again on monitor this yr, dedicating 4 to 5 hours a day in direction of her coaching. In 2020, she was awarded the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar for distinctive achievements within the area of sports activities. “Enjoying for India within the Asian Video games is a dream come true for me,” says an emotional Samhitha, including: “I’ll give my finest.”

Visakhapatnam lady Dontara Greeshma who shall be representing India on the Asian Video games within the free type inventive skating occasion to be held in China
| Picture Credit score:
Particular Association

Aches and falls have been part of Dontara Greeshma’s life. However none of it bothered her as she marched out victorious in varied inventive skating competitions. At 14, Greeshma is a champion inventive skater.

The Class X pupil of Visakha Valley Faculty in Visakhapatnam is steadfast in pursuing her purpose. “I need to carry residence the medal for India,” says Greeshma, who’s being coached by P Satyanarayna (Indian crew coach for Asian Video games) and Okay Chitti Babu (Andhra Pradesh coach).

Dontara Greeshma and Akula Sai Samhitha with the coaches on the 15-day coaching camp at Dhelpur.

She has been practising for eight hours every single day – 4 hours within the morning and 4 within the night – to grasp her strategies. Within the run-up to the choice trials for the Asian Video games, Greeshma did athletic apply from 5am to 7am to construct stamina and adaptability. Two months of intense coaching confirmed outcomes when she discovered a spot within the remaining checklist of gamers for the Asian Video games that was declared on June 25.

Coaching in the course of the gruelling summer time, nonetheless, did have its results. Every week earlier than she was to go away for the 15-day coaching session at Dhelpur, she fell ailing with a extreme warmth stroke. “We had been anxious. Even the coaches had been not sure if she would be capable to make it. However she recovered simply on time and now we’re right here,” says Sharmila Shekhar, Greeshma’s mom.

Greeshma’s entry into inventive skating on the age of 4 was her mother and father’ method of channelising her power. “She was a particularly energetic youngster. Skating was probably the most accessible sport again then,” says Sharmila. After a yr in Visakhapatnam, Greeshma needed to transfer to Hyderabad along with her household the place she started coaching underneath Anup Kumar Yama, an Arjuna awardee, for the following 4 years. “That set the inspiration for her sporting profession and she or he started bagging medals,” says Sharmila. Greeshma later shifted again to Visakhapatnam and continued her coaching at Shivaji Park underneath the steerage of her two coaches.

“It seems easy as we do our strikes throughout the rink, however truly, lots of effort goes in,” says Greeshma. The Class X pupil makes certain she catches up along with her research in the course of the breaks on the 15-day coaching camp in Punjab.