Hyderabad: As the teams from Hyderabad prepared to head out to the Nationals in Mysore at Krishnarajasagara reservoir, the expected winds were in the range of about 15-20 knots and the teams were chosen based on experience. weight and performance.
Little Lahri Komaravelly, 12 from Rasoolpura was too lightweight to be considered for participation but because her elder sister Deekshita was sailing and and her mother Kavitha was serving on the Hyderabad team as Guardian, Lahiri joined the team to Mysore with the intention of taking part in the beginners fleet given that she is just 27 kilos while all the top sailors were 45 kilos plus.
The beginners fleet was cancelled and Lahiri was forced to join the Main National Fleet at this Ranking Regatta.
Lahiri braced herself while fortunately for her the wind speeds dropped to less than 5 knots leading to a disaster of a regatta with just four races and very low winds however the light and fragile Lahiri moved faster than many at the regatta and to her credit managed to clinch a bronze medal against the top sailors of India. Lahiri closed the regatta with 81 penalty points. Bunny Bongur finished 11th in the Boys category.
Vaishnavi Veeravam-sham of the Yacht Club also clinched a Bronze after a medal drought of many months and hopes to move up the ranking ladder in the next two regattas giving her a shot at the Asian Games in 2023 September in China.
“This medal was miraculous given that Lahiri participated for the first time at a national ranking event,” said Suheim Sheikh, president of the Yacht Club of Hyderabad where Lahiri trained.
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