Tiruchy, Madurai athletes make Olympics cut
Three athletes from Tiruchy – Arokia Rajiv, Subha Venkatesan and Dhanalakshmi Sekar – as well as one from Madurai – Revathi Veeramani – have been named in the 26-member India athletics squad for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
While the trio of Subha, Dhanalashmi and Revathi will take part in the mixed 4x400m relay, Rajiv will compete in the men’s 4x400m relay. All th ree women athletes will make th eir maiden appearance at the Ol ympics, with Rajiv making the cu t for the second successive Ga mes. Rajiv, a Junior Commissioned Officer in the Indian Army, sa id, “Despite the pandemic, I trained hard to achieve great things at the Olympics.” Rajiv is a resident of Lalgudi while Subha and Dhanalakshmi hail from Koothappar and Guntur respectively.
Re vathi, who is from the Sakkimangalam village in Madurai, put in the hard yards for a number of years to make it to the Olympics. An employee of the Southern Railway Madurai Division, Revathi lost her prents at a young age and was raised by her grandmother Aarammal.
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Athletic Association (TNAA) secretary C Latha was on cloud nine after three women athletes from the state – Revathi Veeramani, Subha Venkatesan and Dhanalakshmi Sekar – made it to the India mixed 4x400m relay squad for the Olympics.
“As a woman office bearer of the TNAA, I am extremely proud of what the girls have achieved. I expected Revathi and Subha to qualify for the Games in mixed 4x400m relay. I thought that Dhanalakshmi and Archana Suseendran would go to the Games as part of the women’s 4x100m relay team,” Latha told DT Next on Tuesday. “They were on the verge of missing out following Hima Das’s injury. But, Dhanalakshmi got a chance to compete in the 400m trials and took it with both hands.”
Beside the three women, two Tamil Nadu male athletes – Arokia Rajiv and
Naganathan Pandi – have been named in the men’s 4x400m relay squad. “For the first time, five athletes from Tamil Nadu will represent the country at a single Olympics. Last time around, four athletes from the state qualified for the Games, with all of them being men. Of the five that have made the cut for Tokyo 2020, three are women. So, I am extremely happy,” said Latha.
“Earlier, cash prizes were awarded only to athletes
who returned with a medal. But this time, incentives are being handed by the Chief Minister for all those who have qualified. I feel that such acts will encourage the athletes to perform better.”
For the first time, five athletes from TN will represent the country at a single Olympics. Last time around, four athletes from the state qualified for the Games, with all of them being men. Of the five that have made the cut for Tokyo 2020, three are women. So, I am extremely happy
— C Latha, Tamil Nadu Athletic Association secretary