Fourteen-year-old Adhikya Jeshtadi and his 12-year-old sister Anushya Jeshtadi, are now in Karnal (Haryana) attending the national camp ahead of the 2015 Modern Pentathlon Asian Championship-Asia & Oceania Meet from June 1 to 6 which also happens to be the qualifying event for 2016 Rio Olympics.
The two kids learnt swimming at the District Sports Authority pool in Kurnool.
With father Dr. Ananya Jeshtadi himself an all-rounder of sorts having dabbled in swimming, table tennis, shooting and even cricket, sports has been imbibed from childhood.
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The sisters are members of the Indian team for the Beijing meet along with six boys and two other girls vying for a slot in the Olympics.
Consistency at the district and State-levels by Adhikya and Anushya, mentored by coach Natraj and swimming official Suresh, helped them to reach this level.
“They have an outside chance of making it to the Olympics in modern pentathlon which features five events (fencing, 200m freestyle swimming, equestrian (show jumping) and a final combined event of pistol shooting, and a 3200 m cross-country run) is something which we are really proud off,” says Dr. Ananya.
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The duo who adore swimming greats Ian Thorpe, Michael Phelps and Indian ace-shooter Abhhinav Bhindra, are now looking for some financial support and it has been brought to the notice of the Andhra Pradesh government.