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SPORTS JULY 09, 2021 | The Indian Eye 46

his World No. 15 rankings to source of income for my family
qualify for his first-ever Olym- was farming, but it was my dad
pics. No men’s singles player who supported me and encour-
from India has ever progressed aged me to pursue my dreams,”
further than the quarter-final she added.
at the Olympics but the Arju- Before breaking into the
na Awardee has set his sights senior team, Lalremsiami rep-
on ending that drought soon as resented the India U-18 side
he hopes to return home with at the Asian Youth Olympic
a medal. “Nobody knows how Games Qualifier held in Bang-
people are playing and how ev- kok, where she scored as many
erybody is practicing or in which as seven goals to help the team
area they are improving. It is bag the Silver medal.
something which is [the same
for] everybody. It’s a new way of Golfer udayan Mane
playing tournaments, more so makes the cut
an Olympics and top players will Union Minister for Youth
definitely be under pressure. So Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju
I hope it will be a good thing for Sonam Malik becomes the youngest Indian woman wrestler to qualify for on Tuesday congratulated golfer
me,” Praneeth said in a video the Olympics, in New Delhi on Monday. (ANI) Udayan Mane for qualifying for
posted by Olympics.com. the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
“I think for them it is not rent COVID-19 pandemic situ- “I congratulate Udayan
easy because they don’t know ation. “We won’t waste the hard Mane on qualifying for #To-
how they are playing. When you work and sacrifices we all have kyo2020 after updated Olympic
see [a player] in practice every- made at the camp (SAI Benga- rankings were released today.
thing seems fine. Only when you luru). We will give our best in We now have 3 golfers repre-
play tournament will you know Tokyo. We have been getting senting India at #Tokyo2020.
how good you are playing or wonderful support from the I wish them the best. #Cheer-
how bad you are playing. I think fans, and I hope we make them 4India,” tweeted Rijiju. Earlier,
definitely, it will have an impact proud by winning a medal at the Aditi Ashok and Anirban Lahiri
and I feel this could be an ad- Tokyo Olympics,” said Lalrem- were the two Indian golfers who
vantage for me,” he pointed. siami, who is one of the eight had attained qualification for
Praneeth feels he is in good debutants named in the squad the Tokyo Olympics.
shape by playing in 4 tourna- for Tokyo Games 2020. Aditi is the first female Indi-
ments this year. However, can- The 21-year-old striker, who an golfer to qualify for the To-
celled tournaments saw former hails from Kolasib, Mizoram, kyo Olympics.
World No 1 Srikanth Kidambi created history when she be- Golfer Aditi had scripted his-
missing the Olympic Qualifi- came the first female player tory after the final Olympic rank-
cation cut but he is now help- from the state to make it for the ings were released last week. She
ing Praneeth to prepare for his Revathi Veeramanani, an athlete, Olympics. qualified in 45th place and will
Olympic debut. working as Commercial Clerk- While speaking about her now play in her second Olympics.
“So, there are few players cum-Ticket Collector in Madurai hockey journey, the young strik- Ace Indian golfer Anirban
who are practicing with me Division, selected to represent India er said, “I was introduced to Lahiri qualified for his second
and Srikanth is also there, he in 4x400m mixed relay at Tokyo hockey in a playground near my successive Olympics as he fin-
is sometimes playing with me. Olympics 2021, in Madhuri on house, and as soon as my school ished as the best-placed Indian
Practice is going good and I am Tuesday. (ANI) hockey coach saw me playing, golfer in the final Tokyo Games
focusing on my fitness. I think he selected me for the school Rankings. Sharing the develop-
game-wise everybody will play ship medallist understands what team. When I was 10, I played ment on Twitter, Lahiri stated
well and for me as long as I am he needs to do to perform well my first inter-school tourna- that this is the best surprise he
fit, I think I can play my game.” at the upcoming Olympics. ment, and won the Best Hockey has got in a while.
“You know you are capable Player award, along with a Rs The 33-year-old bagged the
of winning a medal and so yes lalremsiami hopeful 500 cash prize. So, that’s how last available quota in the Games
you have to train for the medal. of a medal my love affair with this beautiful rankings at the 60th spot, headed
And not just got to participate. Having made the cut to the game started. by the World No 1 and recent-
So definitely winning a medal is 16-member Indian women’s “I spent five years of my life ly-crowned US Open champion
the main target. If you are real- hockey squad for the Tokyo training in Thenzawl before I Jon Rahm (Spain).
ly capable of getting something, Olympics, young striker Lal- moved to Delhi in 2016. When I Tokyo Olympics will begin
and if it is not happening, I think remsiami is hopeful of winning was leaving my home, I told my on July 23 and the Games will
you have to try a hundred per a medal in Japan. dad that I will represent India run up to August 8 this year.
cent till the end. That is what I She said the team has worked one day, and here I am today! The event was slated to be held
believe,” Sai added. hard and made many sacrifices I did face a lot of challenges last year but was postponed due
The 2019 World Champion- for the Olympics due to the cur- during my early days. The only to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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