Annu Rani
She became the first Indian woman javelin thrower to qualify for Tokyo 2020, and the third overall.
Annu Rani, India's flagbearer in the women's javelin throw, qualified for Tokyo 2020 based on global rankings. In the Road to Tokyo rankings, the Indian is presently ranked 18th.
Rani became the first Indian woman javelin thrower and the third Indian overall after Neeraj Chopra and Shivpal Singh to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which will begin on July 23.
During the Indian Grand Prix in Patiala in March 2021, the 28-year-old set a national record by throwing the spear 63.24 metres.
We take a look back at her experience:
Her skill was recognized by her brother:
Annu Rani was born into a farming family in Uttar Pradesh's Bahadarpur village. Upendra, her brother, was his staunchest supporter.
Her brother, in fact, was the one who first noticed her potential during a cricket match. He saw Rani had a good throwing arm since she could effortlessly fling the ball while fielding at the boundary.
Rani's brother was a long-distance runner who encouraged her on her first voyage.
Breaking Barriers:
Upendra encouraged Rani to try javelin throwing, but her family, who were more conservative, were opposed to her being an athlete.
Rani, on the other hand, began practising for the sport by tossing sugarcane stalks in vacant fields with his help. Her father, Amar Pal Singh, got concerned as she became more serious about the quest.
"I sobbed and pleaded with him (Amar Pal Singh) to let me play," said the player. Finally, he agreed because I was the youngest at home and everyone liked me. He probably assumed I'd just play for a while and then go home,” she told Scroll.in.
First coach and mentor:
Rani quickly rose through the ranks at the junior level. Kashinath Naik, a Commonwealth Games bronze medalist turned coach, was impressed by her achievements and took her under his wing.
“I was able to persuade her brother, but I had to drive to Bahadurpur to speak with her father and assure him that his daughter was safe,” Kashinath told The Indian Express.
In 2013, she would attend coach Naik's camp for the first time. He instilled the Olympic dream in Rani's head by recommending films like Sultan, Dangal, and Sachin: A Billion Dreams.
First place at the World Championships:
Rani became India's first female javelin thrower to reach the 2019 World Athletics Championships final.
In the second round, she broke her own national record of 62.34m by throwing the spear to 62.43m, securing a spot in the final event.
Meanwhile, her first-round throw was 57.05 metres, while her third and final throw was 60.50 metres. She placed third in Group A and was the fifth highest performer in the qualification round, qualifying for the finals.
Sports idols include:
Rani puts a lot of effort into her workout routine.
In fact, she follows Cristiano Ronaldo's and Michael Phelps' training routines. She is inspired by their discipline and life experiences.
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