Bhopal: Sailor Harshita Tomar added yet another feather to her cap after she was selected for the Youth World Championship to be held in Greece.“I am happy after being selected. However, this time, the competition will be even tougher as sailors from across the world will participate,” said Harshita on her selection. However, the 16-year-old’s immediate challenge is appearing for her Class 10 exam, which she missed in 2018. “I am working hard for the exam,” Harshita added.Harshita, who hails from Hoshangabad, was shortlisted by the World Sailing Association (WSA) under the Youth World’s Emerging Nations Programme (ENP), which aims to narrow the performance gap and promote world wide competition. ENP clinics focus on coach performance, sailor ability and national training scheme development, with the goal to enhance sailing within the home nations. The WSA provide candidates with financial support for attending the Youth World Championship, including entry fees and equipment charter.“I was hoping that she would be selected after she won the bronze medal. As of now, she is the only sailor selected from the country by the World Association,” said G L Yadav, Harshita’s coach.At the Asian Games in Jakarta last year, Harshita won the bronze medal in the open laser 4.7 sailing category. She was the only girl on the podium and the only girl in the top 10. Harshita was also the second youngest medallist in the Indian side after Meerut’s Saurabh Chaudhary at the Asiad. Harshita had to skip her board exams for the Asiad.Harshita was a school-level swimmer when talent scouts went to Hoshangabad in 2014. In her very first attempt, she made it to the selection grade and told her parents that she aims to be a sailor. However, her father Devendra Singh Tomar, was not convinced. It was her mother Rani, a constable in the CBI, who took the lead and supported her daughter’s dream.There was no looking back for Harshita and she started winning medals. Last year, she was also awarded as the ‘best sailor of the country’.

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