Revathi Veeramani, part of the 4x400m Indian mixed relay team for Tokyo Olympics, lost both her parents by the time she turned seven and was brought up by her grandmother (ANI Photo)
“Once my name was confirmed for the Olympics, I went blank for some time and my entire journey flashed before my eyes,” an emotional Revathi Veeramani told TOI after she qualified for the Tokyo Games. The 23-year-old Tamil Nadu sprinter’s journey has been a story of battling odds, poverty and the numerous hurdles, common to many Indian sportsmen who dare to dream but often do not have the means.
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Revathi Veeramani, a 23-year-old sprinter-cum-railway ticket collector from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, is now on her way to compete for India in the Tokyo Olympics scheduled to start on July 23. She will be part of the 4X400 mixed relay event.
Recently, the final selections for the Tokyo Olympics took place at the NSNIS in Patiala, Punjab. Revathi was the first one to secure her place in the contingent as she placed first in the final selection round. She set a new personal record, as she was able to run 400m in 53.55 seconds.
The journey to the Olympics was in no way an easy one for Revathi. She lost her father when she was six years old, and her mother passed away less than a year after. Revathi and her sister were taken in and raised by her maternal grandmother, Arammal, a daily wage labourer.
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