Udaipur, Nov 29 (PTI) Despite a seven-month shoulder injury layoff, young judoka Jaanvi Yadav clinched her second successive Khelo India University Games medal, a gold, underscoring her rapid rise and proving that financial constraints cannot hold back genuine talent.
Jaanvi made a remarkable return to the mat after a left shoulder injury almost ended her career by clinching the 48kg gold here to add to the bronze she had won last year in Guwahati for Guru Nanak Dev University.
The daughter of a courier company employee, Jaanvi and her parents endured a distressing ordeal in Delhi when they were duped of Rs 2.5 lakh after being misled with false promises of participation in an international event.
Their visas for France never arrived on time for the 19th ISF World School Gymnasiade in Normandy, leaving many sportspersons and their parents financially strained.
Despite the setback, her father, Uttam Singh refused to let the financial blow derail his daughter’s sporting journey.
The 19-year-old Jaanvi, who resides in Dwarka in Delhi, is already a seasoned competitor with multiple Khelo India medals, including a gold at the 2021 Khelo India Youth Games and a silver in 2023.
“My family has been supportive of my choice right from the start. My father is the sole bread earner of the family, and works at a private courier company at the airport. Despite all the financial difficulties, he has always backed me,” said Jaanvi after winning the gold here.
“I still remember the (duping) incident which left us devastated. My father broke his fixed deposit and also took some loan to gather that amount after I had topped the qualifications held in Bhubaneswar.
“Whatever happened was really disturbing but my father never allowed that to affect me. He has always backed me. Today, whatever I am, it is because of the sacrifices made by my parents.” Jaanvi’s talent has shone on the international stage as well. She won a silver medal at the 2019 Commonwealth Sub-Junior Championships in Birmingham and repeated the feat three years later at the Asian Cadet Championships in Bangkok.
Now, a third-year Bachelor of Physical Education and Sports (BPES) student, she credits the financial assistance from the Khelo India initiative for easing the pressures of an athlete’s life.
“The stipend from the Khelo India scheme has been really helpful for me as I don’t have to further trouble my parents for my nutritional needs, getting training gears, and at times travel for competitions,” she said.
Her journey, however, has been far from smooth.
In 2023, she injured her left shoulder during the final of the All-India Inter-University Championships in Amritsar. After consulting doctors, she continued competing through the pain for nearly a year, even winning bronze at the 2024 KIUG. Eventually, she went under the knife earlier this year.
Motivated to return stronger, Jaanvi set her sights on making KIUG 2025 the stage for a comeback. She is now looking ahead to the Junior National trials next month, determined to keep climbing the ranks and repaying the faith her family has placed in her. PTI AM AM ATK
Category: Breaking News
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