J. Jerlin Anika, the 14-year-old badminton player from Madurai who won two silver medals and a bronze at the 5th Asia Pacific Deaf Badminton Championship in Kuala Lumpur held last week, gestures that every day is a hustle.
The champion, who brought laurels to the country by winning the bronze in women’s doubles in the senior category, and silver in the singles and doubles event in the U-21 girls category, wakes up to the vibration of her alarm clock at 5 a.m.
Through the day, she is at the badminton courts in Villapuram and Race Course Road and just has enough time to catch up on her sleep.
She practises for at least six hours a day, says her father J. Jeyaratchagan, pointing out that she began her journey at the age of 8.
“My friends would play badminton every week and I would take Jerlin Anika along. One day, I realised that she did not notice when I called her. She was intently watching the game and seemed interested. This is when I approached the coach T. Saravanan, who said that he would readily coach her,” he said.
Rigorous practice
Ms. Anika begins her day with three hours of workout and follows it up with some matches on court. She comes back for lunch filled with proteins and an afternoon nap before her evening session of rigorous practice.
“Till class 9, she would go to school and also manage badminton. This year, however, we have decided to focus on sports and have her home schooled,” says her father.
T. Saravanan, her coach, says the badminton player competed in the open category and won many laurels.
“She participated in the Deaflympics in Turkey earlier this year and was placed 5. She began representing India only recently, but has created a mark,” he says. She is currently ranked 15th in the general category in India.
Though Mr. Jeyaratchagan is elated about his daughter’s performance, he hopes she becomes independent. “Jerlin Anika is a shy person. She is turning 15 this year, but is learning the ways of the world only now..Sports has truly helped her get out her cocoon,” he says.
For Ms. Anika, her next goal is to win a number of medals at the World Junior Championships next year. She hopes to beat the competitors from Chinese Taipei to secure a gold.
