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Unnathi Aiyappa aims to better mother Pramila’s Asian Games medal
Unnathi Aiyappa, 21, will make her Asian Games debut in Nagoya City, Japan, next month, carrying the legacy of her mother Pramila, who won a bronze medal in the Asian Games 16…
Unnathi Aiyappa, 21, will make her Asian Games debut in Nagoya City, Japan, next month, carrying the legacy of her mother Pramila, who won a bronze medal in the Asian Games 16 years ago. Unnathi, who first gained attention by breaking PT Usha's record in the girls' 60m hurdles, is expected to compete in the women's 200m and the 4x100m mixed relay.
Speaking to TOI, Unnathi said she draws inspiration from her mother's 'tiger mindset' and aims to win two medals. She said she has a good chance in the relay, where the quartet of Harita, Animesh, Gurindervir, and Unnathi already holds a national record. In the 200m, she is targeting a time under 23 seconds, having run a personal best of 23.4 seconds at the Inter-state meet in June despite not being fully fit.
Unnathi trains under Martin Owens and credits her father Aiyappa, her first coach, for shaping her career. Aiyappa has high hopes for the relay squad if they perfect the baton exchange. Pramila said she wants her daughter to do better than she did and believes Unnathi is capable.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Unnathi Aiyappa carries the weight of a rare sporting lineage: her mother Pramila is a former Asian Games medallist and her father Aiyappa is a national-level coach. The 4x100m mixed relay is India's strongest medal prospect here, given the quartet already holds a national record. With the Asian Games in Japan, conditions will be different from Indian tracks, making baton exchanges crucial. Unnathi's target of dipping under 23 seconds in the 200m would put her in medal contention. The event in Nagoya City begins next month.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
