Meet Dhinidhi Desinghu, The 14-Year-Old Swimmer To Represent India In Olympics (image-facebook/Dolphin Aquatics)
It was just three years ago when Dhinidhi watched India’s top swimmer Srihari Nataraj compete at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 on television. On that day, unable to hold in her enthusiasm, the 14-year-old said, “oh, I want to be there too”.
And now, swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu is set to be the youngest member of the Indian contingent at the Paris Olympics. Despite missing out on all the childhood carefree pleasures and occasionally feeling a sense of solitude, Dhinidhi believes that all her sacrifices have been worth it as she prepares to fulfill her dream of competing on the world’s biggest stage.
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“I am the one who chose this path for me. With that comes a lot of sacrifices, but I do feel different, extraordinary, and proud. At 14, I am going to the Olympics, so all the sacrifices are worth it,” she said.
The ninth grader has made a significant mark in Indian swimming by winning medals at the National Games and the senior National championship last year. Recognizing her impressive performance, the Swimming Federation of India recognized her potential and awarded her one of the two Universality places. Apart from that, her struggles led to be the top-ranked Indian female swimmer.
Being unable to digest in the news of her selection she said, “I knew that I had a chance (of making the Olympics) because I have been working very hard, but it was surprising that I got this chance so early in my career. Being the youngest one in the Indian contingent is a big honor.”
The 14-year-old will compete in 200 m freestyle, in which she became senior national champion last year clocking her personal timing of 20:04:24.
Dhinidhi had one more dream to come true. She plans to make handwritten gift cards and deliver them hopefully in person to her “childhood” swim hero and reigning 200 m freestyle Olympic champion, Katie Ledecky of USA.
A shy kid who did not speak much due to the fear of being judged, her parents thought getting her to learn swimming would help her. The eight-year-old who didn’t like getting into the water at first, however, had good stamina which was reckoned by her coach. And this was the turning point in her life. Embarking on a new journey, she joined Ameen’s Dolphin Aquatics in 2019.
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As of now, she has left her swimming career to her parents. It’s all about Paris for her now. “I want to see what I can do in that different environment,” she said.
