This athlete went from running barefoot to representing India at the Tokyo Olympics
Orphaned at the age of eight and raised by her grandmother, Revathi will represent the country in the 400 m race
When athlete V Revathi clocked 53.55 seconds in the 400 metres qualifying races, and qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, it was a culmination of a dream come true. The 23-year-old Madurai-resident, who works for the Southern Railways was raised by her 71-year-old maternal grandmother K Aarammal (71).
"When Revathi was about six years old, her father passed away due to illness and her mother died eight months later. I then brought Revathi and her five-year-old sister, Rekha, to my hut at Sakkimangalam,” the Sakkimangalam resident told The New Indian Express (TNIE),
V. Revathi from Madurai will be representing India in the 400m race at the Tokyo Olympics.
Pic: Twitter
To provide for two young girls single-handedly, Aarammal had to take up odd jobs. She would work in the fields, clean the dining area at marriage halls all for a meagre Rs 100 a day. Both the girls studied at government schools.
Revathi was always passionate about sports and would participate in school sports events. However, she practiced barefoot because they could not afford sports shoes. Their fate changed when her coach Kannan spotted her talent in 2015 and took the family under his wing.
"When I saw her under the care of her grandmother in a small village after losing her parents, I decided to train her as only such people coming from a humble background, I thought would listen to us and train," Kannan told NDTV Sports.
Although Revathi’s grandmother was sceptical of letting Revathi pursue athletics, she gave her consent upon seeing coach Kannan’s confidence in her. To sustain herself while pursuing her passion, Revathi joined a college through the sports quota and even got a job in Southern Railways.
"I had to borrow to pay Rs 4,000 for the hostel mess. That was the only fee collected every year at Lady Doak College. I could not afford to give her a nutritious diet. Everything was taken care of by the coach. He bought Revathi her first pair of shoes, sportswear, arranged for travel during outstation athletic events. I am indebted to him,” the proud grandmother told TNIE.
"I am no longer scared. I am confident that she would make us proud. Revathi is determined to bring laurels to the country.” she added.
(Written by Vrinda Garg)
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Edited by Diya Koshy George