Marredpally Govt School girls win gold and silver at International Regatta in Puducherry

In an exemplary show of grit and skill in the face of fierce winds and treacherous waves, two girls from Telangana — Tungara Mahboobie and Lakshmi Nookarathnam, made the country proud by clinching gold and silver at the recently-concluded first-ever International Regatta at Puducherry. Titled “Sailing The East Coast”, the three-day Indo-French bilateral event saw the two 14-year-olds sail past experienced sailors from France and India to claim the top spots.
Both students of Marredpally Govt School, Secunderabad, Mahboobie and Nookarathnam showcased ruthless professionalism throughout the races.While Mahboobie bagged the gold in the girls’ category and was adjudged the third in the overall section, Nookarathnam too put up a great show but fell short by a few points to secure the silver in the girls’
category. “This is my first international gold medal and I am happy to beat many sailors from France and India, especially the experienced Chennai girls. I also won the overall bronze. All thanks to my coach Suheim (Sheik) sir and the Yacht Club of Hyderabad (YCH) for the support,” says an elated Mahboobie.
Two years ago, when both the girls were selected by Naandi Foundation for sailing, despite being good in practise, they lacked the mental strength to perform in reputed tournaments. Says coach Suhiem, “They were good in practise but used to commit silly mistakes. We call it ‘regatta jitters’, a term which is used to describe performance anxiety in players during top-notch competitions. But in this tournament, the girls showed their true potential and brought medals for the country.”
The road to the triumph however, wasn’t an easy one for both Mahboobie and Nookarathnam. After a dismal performance in the National Championship in Krishnapatnam, where they had to be content with positions 29 and 31 respectively, the girls were experiencing a dip in form. They returned to Hyderabad distraught and started practising for the international event. And once they set sailing in the tournament, there was no stopping them. “The girls steamrolled all experienced opposition to win a gold and silver. I am glad that the Naavika Sailing project for the girl child has finally taken wing,” says Suheim.
“I was focused on my physical fitness and the best moment for me was when my coach came up to my boat and congratulated me after winning the silver. My parents are also very proud of me as this is my first medal in a regatta,” said Nookarathnam with pride.
Both the girls say that sailing has never come in the way of their education and so far, they have been maintaining both with equal interest. “We have been attending our school and tuitions regularly. Sailing has never been a hindrance,”says Mahboobie.
Now,they have set their sights on the upcoming Asian Championship trials scheduled to be held in April in Chennai and are hopeful they will be able to repeat their feat in the mains. “I hope this winning streak continues for them,” says Suheim, singing off.