HYDERABAD: Fifteen-year-old city boy, Padidala Vishwanath, has been selected to represent the Indian team in the Optimist World Sailing Championship 2021, currently being held at Riva Del Garda in Italy.
Vishwanath, who started his training at the Yacht Club of Hyderabad in December 2015, currently trains at the Navy Boys Sports Company (NBSC), INS Mandovi, Goa.
Vishwanath has come from a very humble background. His parents are daily wage labourers. He was selected by the Navy Boys Sports Company at a young age of 12.
NBSC, a joint venture between Indian Navy and Sports Authority of India has been training young talents like P Vishwanath with an aim to win medals in Asian Championships as well as Olympics.
His prior achievements in international events include a silver medal in the sub-junior at the International Regatta 2017. He has been a part of the national squad in Optimist class since then.
Vishwanath has performed at many national and international regattas including the Asian and Oceania Championship-2019 at Mussanah, Oman, and the World Championships in Italy, where he was one of the seven sailors from YCH to represent India. "I want to land a medal soon," he said.
