Bend It Like Ananya Garikipati: Star Indian Gymnast Who Wants To Train With Russia Athletes
10:00 02.09.2023 (Updated: 13:50 02.09.2023)
© Photo : Ananya Garikipati
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Ananya Garikipati, a 20-year-old Indian gymnast, has earned a golden opportunity to receive exclusive training from Irina Viner, the head coach and president of the Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation, completely free of charge in Moscow.
She does splits and handstands like a pro and her sharp backflips and poised postures can give people a run for their money.
Ananya Garikipati, the star Indian gymnast, is truly bending it like a true champion and making a splash with her mesmerizing skills and artistry in rhythmic gymnastics.
Training with Head Coach Irina Viner
After leaving everyone awe-struck by her performance, Garikipati has been invited to Russia to get direct training from the head coach and president of the Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation, Irina Viner.
“When I first got the news from my mom, I just couldn't believe that it was actually going to happen. Because I've been dreaming about it since I was very little. I just asked my mom to send me to Moscow, and I'll train there,” Garikipati said.
The young gymnast grew up watching YouTube videos of several world champions who have been trained by Viner. Now that she is going to be one of her students is a dream come true for her.
“She (Viner) has made not one, not two, but so many Olympic champions, including Russian rhythmic gymnast Evgenia Kanaeva. I think that the consistency of making champions is found nowhere else. I really love her determination and passion for the sport. And that is something I resemble with her. She finds such glory in representing the country. It's more of a country's victory and not self,” she said.
Ananya Garikipati, a 20-year-old Indian gymnast from Hyderabad
© Photo : Ananya Garikipati
Stepping Stones Towards Becoming Rhythmic Gymnast
Hailing from Telangana state’s Hyderabad city, the 20-year-old gymnast and an engineering student started at the young age of nine.
The gymnastics bug bit her when she saw her grade five friends stumbling around in the classroom.
Upon returning home, Garikipati expressed her desire to pursue gymnastics as an extra-curricular activity.
“My mother’s initial reaction was ‘No. It looks dangerous, and injury-prone’. But later she agreed and enrolled me at a center where I learned about basic introduction to general gymnastics, doing stretching and a few somersaults here and there,” she said.
Garikipati's mother, a doctor and ophthalmology surgeon, took a judging course for gymnastics in order to assist her in her training due to the scarcity of skilled coaches in India.
“When I started off, we didn't have any coaches in India. Whatever I learned, it was all through watching YouTube videos. I used to watch the performance of two-time Olympic champion Evgeniya Kanaeva and try to imitate her. It continues till today,” she recalled.
Garikipati’s mother took her to London in 2016 where she started professional training with the Commonwealth champion Naazmi Johnston an Australian rhythmic gymnast. Since then, there has been no looking back.
In 2018, Garikipati went to Russia, which was once called the mecca of gymnastics, and got training from an Olympic champion Anna Gavrilenko.
The biggest victory came in 2019 after she became the first Indian rhythmic gymnast to clinch a gold at the Junior Star Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship held in Russia.
For her, the biggest turning point in her life is not winning gold but training with Olympic champion Anna Gavrilenko.
“She was shocked and more than appreciative when I told her that I made my own routines. So that coming from an Olympic champion is my greatest achievement so far,” she said.
After returning to India, Garikipati continued her training with some other Russian coaches through online sessions.
Ananya Garikipati, a 20-year-old Indian gymnast from Hyderabad
© Photo : Ananya Garikipati
Juggling between engineering studies and gymnasium
The biggest challenge for her was to strike a balance between pursuing gymnastics as well as engineering (B.Tech) from Jawaharlal Nehru Fine Arts and Architecture University in Hyderabad.
“Pursuing engineering and professional sports is even more harder than I expected it to be. We've had plans of taking a year's gap in studies, but it didn't turn out in my favor. But I'm still trying to manage whatever I can,” Garikipati said.
Garikipati and her mother eat, sleep, and breathe gymnastics.
“I'm so fortunate to have a flexible schedule since it's just my mom and I working on my routines together. So every day after college and on the weekends, we train almost all day as much as possible. But even if I don't physically keep practicing, my mind is always running and my mom won't stop talking about gymnastics,” Garikipati said.
To mentally prepare herself for the competition, her go-to mantra is listening to the music and running the routine in her head.
“I try not to physically exert myself before I go onto the carpet. So I'm just like, in my zone with full pace around myself. Nothing pumped up. It's very chill, relaxed. Just focus on what I'm going to do rather than let's try to master this last minute,” she said.
Five or 10 years down the line, Garikipati hopes to improve her level of performance at the tournaments and represent India in bigger and elite competitions.
Apart from pursuing gymnastics, Garikipati aspires to become a pilot one day. She has also dabbled in costume design for her performances.
Facing Body-Shaming
While Garikipati has been lauded for her awe-inspiring performance, she also experienced some unpleasant moments of body-shaming for wearing dance-wear one-piece bodysuit costumes.
“When I put up my videos on YouTube, I received a lot of body-shaming and ill comments about my body and the way that I look. It mostly comes from those people who aren't acquainted with the sport and are a little conservative. I did have my sad moments with my mom, but she helped me try to overcome them. So I think I've grown tougher to some uncomfortable situations and better at trying to face them,” she said.
“I don't think you should be ashamed of what your legs look like or what you look like on the carpet. It's ultimately your performance and your scores that matter more than how you look like,” she added.
Upcoming Plans
Garikipati said that she is now thrilled to return to Russia, which she refers to as her "second home," to receive training from Viner. One call is all she needs to book her flights instantly.
“I just love the sport and culture there (in Russia) and have also learned a little bit of Russian. I think it's more self-competitive than competing with others. And it's just that spirit of hard work that pays off. And there are no shortcuts to success, and there are no sideways or byways to get to the top. It's just you, you have to work hard and all,” she signed off.
29 August 2023, 20:19
