Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Student Vishnu Sreekumar’s dreams of securing a professional sporting career took one step closer to reality after he won a gold medal at an international tournament which attracted some of the world’s top young talent.
He picked up the top mixed doubles prize at the recent Indian National Badminton Championships with his playing partner, Nida Najeeb, who lives in Dubai. Indian expat Sreekumar, 17, who lives in Salmaniya and attends New Millennium School, said: “I feel so proud. All the hard work I have put in with my coaches has finally paid off. As I am in the 12th grade, it was my last chance to compete in this particular event so it was brilliant to walk away a winner. My goal now is to represent my country at international level in the future.”
The ambitious teenager did one better this year in the tournament staged annually by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in Varanasi. It attracts thousands of competitors to a sport which is one of the most popular in India and played around the world to Olympic level.
Last time out he secured a silver medal and returning to take the main prize came thanks to ‘the support and guidance’ he has received from his coaches and trainers Junith CM and Manish Joshi.
“They truly helped me to move forward and win the title,” he said. The badminton-loving youngster practices for up to three hours, five-days-a-week. He clinched gold in the ‘best 3 of 15’ competition format. Naturally-talented, Sreekumar started playing at 11 and was competing in tournaments within 12 months.
He says the sport helps keep him both mentally and physically fit. The youngster has trained with various coaches in Bahrain including Heri Satiawan and Rixon Rebello at the Indian Club Bahrain.
During the summer holidays he regularly joins national junior badminton coach Mohanachandran Nair and Indian national players Joy Antony, Sanav Thomas and Suraj Haridas for more intensive training.
He has been placed under the international spotlight after success in tournaments staged in Bahrain and Kuwait, as well as India. He was ranked third in the Boys Doubles Under19 category in Kerala’s State Badminton Championship held at Kannur in August.
He was runner-up in the Boys Doubles U19 category in All Kerala BPI Championship held at Ernakulam in July, took bronze in the CSBSE Nationals U19 Badminton Championship team event held in India last year with his regular doubles partner, Rohit Jayakumar, and won the Bahrain VIVA GCC Junior Open Championship in U17 Boys Doubles in June.
In September last year, he won the Kuwait GCC Junior Open Championship in the U17 Boys Doubles contest. He also took the Men’s Singles remier flight in the B Open Value Line Tournament in November.
His badminton coach at school and PE teacher Chandrakala Suvarna is proud of how far he has come in recent years and sees a bright future ahead for him. School principal Arun Kuumar Sharma added: “It is indeed a moment of pride and pleasure to congratulate Vishnu Sreekumar and his parents, Sreekumar KL and Meera, for his commendable performance in the CBSE National Badminton Championship.
“It is his hard-work, perseverance and dedication that has helped him accomplish his goals. He is a very decent and disciplined student. “The school and management take immense delight in congratulating him on his success.”
Sreekumar’s father, who works in electric corporation Yokogawa Middle East & Africa, is also thrilled with his accomplishments. Mr Sreekumar said: “We are happy to see a result for all his efforts taken and thanks to all his coaches and wellwishers. “It is indeed the biggest challenge to balance school and sport but he manages the time to cope with both. We are all very proud of him, even his brother Snehal who is pursuing his Masters in Texas.”
Since 1992, badminton has been a Summer Olympic sport with five events including men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles. Players require aerobic stamina, agility, strength, speed and precision to compete at the top. It is also a technical sport, requiring good motor coordination and the development of sophisticated racquet movements.
