A phone call at 12.30 p.m. on Saturday put all fears to rest for the family of N. Hemamalini, who is part of the Indian contingent at the ongoing World School Athletic Championship in Turkey.
The Vellore girl told her father that she was safe and there was nothing to worry as Trabzon, where the championship is under way, was free from any trouble.
As news poured in of the coup attempt in Turkey, the family and coach of the 17-year-old, who will be participating in javelin throw, made frantic attempts to reach her mobile phone on Saturday morning but in vain. It was close to 12.30 p.m. when they established contact with her.
“I was unable to reach her mobile phone in the morning but spoke to her in the noon. She told me that there was no problem in the place where they were staying. The organisers had re-scheduled the morning events to afternoon. They had called off the practice sessions in the morning,” her father S. Neelakandan, a farmer in Madayapattu near Odugathur said.
Ms. Hemamalini had informed her father that they were asked to go for practice in the noon. “She assured me that she was safe,” he added.
Her coach in school, V. Krishnamoorthy also spoke to her.
“I was unable to reach her for two hours, and then finally got her line. She said she was safe, not scared and said there was nothing to be worried about. Her event (javelin throw) is scheduled to be held on Sunday morning. She sounded confident of doing well,” he said.
Ms. Hemamalini and other athletes will return to the country on July 19.
The championship was being held from July 11 to 18, and the students had reached Turkey on July 11, he added.
A student of Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Odugathur, Ms. Hemamalini will be attempting her best shot at javelin throw at the championship. Her best throw so far was 40.98 metres in a State-level event.
In her three years of association with javelin throw, she has bagged 13 medals.
