Two TS sailors to represent India at Asian Sailing Championships

Hyderabad: Two city sailors are selected to represent India in boys Laser category at the Asian Sailing Championships 2022 to be held in Abu Dhabi from February 27 to March 6. Vatsal Banker from Secunderabad Sailing Club and Sanjay Reddy both are picked up by the Yachting Association of India

The Yachting Association of India, a sixty-year old sports body affiliated with the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), is recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the governing authority for sailing worldwide. It is also officially recognised by the Indian Olympic Association and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India as the governing authority for sailing, windsurfing and others.

Both the 16-year-old sailors, Vatsal Banker and Sanjay Reddy, from Hyderabad are promising sailors and the two were selected out of 60 sailors, to represent India at the forthcoming sailing event. The sailors recently returned from Karwar of Uttara Karnataka District in Karnataka, where they were trained for about 45 days by the Yachting Association of Karnataka

300 sailors from over ten countries are expected to participate in the Asian Sailing Championships 2022 at Abu Dhabi.

Vatsal, who is India's one of the top-ranked sailors is competing in the Laser 4.7 category. Total 9 sailors including two sailors from Secunderabad Sailing Club are going to compete in this category with 60 other sailors drawn from 10 countries.

Vatsal stands a very good chance to win a medal and qualify for the Asian Games 2022 to be held in China in August/September this year. If qualified, Vatsal Banker will be the first sailor from Telangana to get qualified for Asian Games 2022.

Vatsal is a member of the national squad and has performed well at the national level. He can now set his sights on representing India at the Asian Games, said his coach Arjun Pradipak, a national medallist who represented India at the Asian games. He has been training Vatsal for the past six years.

In a career spanning over 5 years, Vatsal has participated in over 25 national and international sailing events. And, he has been constantly improving his performance.

Vatsal Banker has left for Abu Dhabi while Sanjay Reddy is yet to travel.