Ananya wins MSSA swimming gold despite injured wrist

Obesity, asthma and a wrist injury could not break nine-year-old Ananya Mehere's spirit as she strode to a gold and a silver in the Mumbai Schools Sports Association's (MSSA) U-10 inter-school aquatic championship at Ozone Swimming Pool in Goregaon yesterday.


Greenlawns School's Ananya Mehere in action yesterday. Pic/Atul Kamble

Ananya finished on the podium for Greenlawns School in the 50 meters freestyle, clocking 0:37.86 sec. In the 50m breast stroke she missed out on gold by just three seconds, behind Fazlani L Academie Globale's Kenish Gupta (0:47.39s).

Ananya, who weighs 55kgs and stands 5ft tall, was diagnosed with chronic asthma last year. She swam regularly to keep her ailment at bay. "I got her to start swimming as she was overweight since childhood. She suffered a major asthma attack last year and doctors advised she continued swimming," Ananya's mother Shikha explained.

Ananya won yesterday despite pain in her right handu00a0-- that was in a plaster till last week. "I hurt my wrist a month back when I fell off my bicycle. My hand did hurt today, but the joy of getting back to winning was much bigger," said Ananya.