On Tuesday, the 18-year-old from Kerala etched her name in the record books of Khelo India Youth Games when she won the gold medal with a new meet record of 17.22m.
Anupriya V S’s mother Rajani was keen on making a career as a shot putter in her younger days, but had to give up on her dream due to lack of support from her family. But once she saw her daughter taking keen interest in sports, she encouraged the then 14-year-old Anupriya to try her hand at throwing events.
On Tuesday, the 18-year-old from Kerala etched her name in the record books of Khelo India Youth Games when she won the gold medal with a new meet record of 17.22m.
Advertisement
Anupriya is enrolled in the KC Throwing Academy in Kasaragod, led by coach KC Gireesh. As she began to show promise, the cost of training and travelling for competitions started to mount.
Advertisement
To meet those expenses, the family liquidated their assets while her father, Sasi K, resigned from his job in a quarry so that he could travel with her. The local community also played a crucial role by providing financial aid through scholarshi
Anupriya made the most of all the support by winning bronze medals at the Asian Youth Championships in Uzbekistan and the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago.
Having won the silver medal in the last edition of the Khelo India Youth Games, Anupriya had set a target of not only winning the gold in Chennai but also getting her name in the record books.
“She was very determined for this event as this is her last chance to participate in the Khelo India Youth Games. Finally, she made it through her hard work and the blessings of coach and mother,” said an elated Sasi
Rajani dreams of her daughter making to the Olympics one day and Anupriya says she is driven by the hunger to fulfil her mother’s wish.
“I came here with a goal and I achieved it. I hope that if I continue this form I can represent India at the Olympics and that is my mother’s dream,” she added.
Advertisement
