Hailing from Hyderabad, 15 year old Veeravamsham Vaishnavi is already making a name for herself in the sailing world. This year, she has already won the silver medal at the Monsoon Regatta, the gold medal at the 35th Hyderabad sailing week, a bronze medal at the Radial YAI Senior national and has now set her sights on bigger and better honours.
In this exclusive interview with SPOGO, Veeravamsham Vaishnavi speaks about her journey in sailing, her idols in the sport, the influence of her coach Mr. Suheim Sheikh and the Yacht Club of Hyderabad, her experience at the World Sailing Championship in Italy, overcoming challenges and her future goals.
Q 1) When did you first start sailing and what made you get into the sport?
I started sailing in September 2017, the uniqueness of the sport is what caught my interest as I had never heard about sailing before. My coach and mentor Mr. Suheim Sheikh has played a big role in motivating me in my career.
Q 2) Who do you look up to in sailing and why?
I look up to Mr Vishnu Saravanan because I like the way he sails, with style and confidence. In addition, the fact that he is an Olympic sailor motivates me to become more like him, he’s very inspiring!
Q 3) How has the journey transformed since joining the Yacht Club of Hyderabad under coach Mr. Suheim Sheikh?
Ever since I’ve joined the Yacht Club of Hyderabad, I’ve been very happy as they have given me a platform to perform at both the National and International tournaments, something I could never have imagined and that exposure has given me a lot of confidence both personally and professionally. I feel blessed to have Mr. Suheim Sheikh, my coach and mentor in my journey as a professional sailor.
Q 4) You had participated in the World Sailing Championship in Italy, what impact did it have on you?
The experience in Italy was very good, I learned a lot of things that improved my qualities as a sailor and I also became familiar with the international sailing rules. I have realized that to improve myself professionally, I need to participate in more International Championships and compete at the highest level.
Q 5) What are some of the challenges that you faced and how did you overcome them?
Sailing is a lot more challenging than it may appear. Some of the challenges we face are wind, waves and weather.
a) Determining the position and maintaining direction depends on the knowledge of wind and the current weather
b) Keeping a calm and clear mind before Championships and executing plans perfectly.
c) Reading the mind of the opponent and observing their mistakes to gain an advantage
Q 6) What are some of your future goals and how do you plan to achieve them?
My future goal is to get into the army or the defence forces and I also want to become a sailing coach in the future.
