Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Striking their way to fame

Rayan Rozario

Three players selected for the International Sports Peace Festival in Korea

POWERFUL COMBINATION: The young badminton achievers of Coimbatore who won prizes at the State and national levels. –

Coimbatore. Outside the DéjÀ vu Club there was a drizzle, inside there were showers of praise.

The members of the DéjÀ vu Club with support from the Coimbatore District Badminton Association (CDBA) got together on Friday evening to felicitate its young achievers who have done Coimbatore proud at various levels.With vigorous practice, enthusiasm, precision and skilful moves, they have gained admiration of many.

In fact, only after one stepped into the Club Hall in Tristar did one get to know about the exploits of the current crop.

Each one of them had played a special role in one way or the other, rather silently, at the State and national level.

Three players from the district, S. Archana, R. Hamsica and C. Naviin Prasad, have also been selected for the International Sports Peace Festival in Korea. It surprised many but not those who have closely watched the trio play.

An effective forehand player, 15-year-old Archana has been creating waves in the State among her age group girls.The class ten student of Vidya Niketan not only struck it rich in the under-16 category but also had the under-19 girls play to her tunes.

Hamsica looks rather soft and gentle off the court but in it, she is a real threat. The 17-year-old first year commerce student of the PSG College of Arts and Science says she wasn’t really sharp until she met her coach and mentor Ganguly Prasad from Bangalore. Ganguly has trained stalwarts like Gopi Chand and Aparna Popet.Hamsica has already won a couple of State titles. She has even made her presence felt by reaching the under-19 semi-finals at the recently concluded Kochi nationals. The SAI product says she has now improved upon her speed, strokes, stamina and overall skills.“My goal is to represent my country in the next two years.”

Naviin is another silent achiever. The 18-year-old second year student of Kumaraguru College of Technology has been representing Tamil Nadu the past four years.He is currently the top ranked under-19 player in the State and sounds confident of going a long way.“This is my last year in the under-19 category and I want to further stamp my class.”

The trio owed their efforts to their parents, coach, institution and the district association.“If it wasn’t for them we certainly wouldn’t have gone this far,” they say.

The DéjÀ vu Club highlighted each player’s achievements and gave away special mementoes to the eager high fliers.It also thanked and honoured its coach, Arul Kumar.

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