Bhavani, an Indian fencer, writes Olympic history.
Bhavani, an Indian fencer, writes Olympic history.
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Bhubaneswar: CA Bhavani Devi, the first Indian Olympic fencer, paved the way for the country's younger generation to aim big and achieve the seemingly unattainable.
She is the first and only Indian to qualify for the Olympics' fencing competition. She is the first woman from a country of 1.3 billion people to reach the world's most famous stage.
Even though the fencer won the first bout, she was defeated in the second by Manon Brunet of France. Bhavani apologised for not being able to win the match for the country in a tweet.
“On the first day in the Olympic Village, the fact dawned on me that I had landed in my dream spot in the world,” Bhavani told SonySports. I'd always wanted to represent India, and now I was in the position to do so.”
She had to overcome certain obstacles in her early life as a member of a middle-class household. “In the beginning of our training, we used to exercise with bamboo sticks and play matches with equipment that we had to purchase with great difficulty.”
Her pride in supporting the country was evident in her clothing, which included a tee with national colours and Tricolor nail polish.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to her apologetic post for the country, writing:
“You gave your best and that is all that counts. Wins and losses are a part of life. India is very proud of your contributions. You are an inspiration for our citizens.”
