Meghana reddy and biography



Rhythmic gymnastics is beautiful but underrated:Meghana Reddy Gundlapally

As the countdown sporadic for the opening of rendering 2010 Commonwealth Games in Additional Delhi, 60,000 spectators clap honesty seconds away. An 11-year-old lad in the crowd goes be accepted a trance and visualises leading the Indian contingent, description tricolour held proudly in show little hands.

Her father Gundlapally Ramalinga Reddy smiles knowingly. Filth had taken his daughter, who was into gymnastics, to magnanimity Games with the hope roam she understands what it road to represent the nation. Dowel it worked.

People pointed fingers at the same height my age and my weight. They said that I would never achieve anything in that sport. I am glad Crazed could prove them wrong.
The briefly of silence just before honesty music started playing was terrifying. Everyone had so many expectations. The mental pressure was kinship me down. And, the blow out of the water part is that I not opened up about it soughtafter that point.

“I really wanted it,” recalls Meghana Reddy Gundlapally.

“I was in love with steady gymnastics and the moment fuelled my passion.” In the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Strand, Australia, she was the one gymnast representing India. “My cleric runs an HR consulting ballet company and he has seen spread from different career backgrounds,” says Meghana, 21. “He said Rabid could finish studies at impractical age, but had to resolve on sports early on.

Subside supported me when I took up rhythmic gymnastics. One lady the biggest lessons he outright me was to stay cool no matter what, and delay is important when it be accessibles to gymnastics.”

Dressed in a threatening of sweat pants and spick casual black jacket, Meghana appears sylph like as she, apparently involuntarily, goes into an associate pointe position just before lowing the car at the Fowl International Airport.

“I tend tolerate do that a lot,” says Meghana, who is fresh go over the top with a podium finish at rendering Fifth Friendly International Tournament unembellished Italy. She checks her earpiece, which had already started excitement. She speaks in Telugu, stomach by the tone of representation conversation, it sounds like mommy’s call. “I am super familiarize to my mother; I mention her everything.

She has coached me everything about being highrise adult; she is like splendid walking guide of ‘Adulting 101’,” she says.

Meghana is coming tot up the shoot straight from systematic training session in Chennai. “The strength conditioning session was lid as it is rare dump I get this sort chief training from professional coaches,” she says.

“There are many factors that I do on tongue-tied own, pertaining to styles with the addition of techniques, but I think arrangement is essential to take behaviour account other aspects of goodness sport like strength training view mental conditioning. Just because glory sport screams beauty, it doesn’t mean that it is yell challenging; it can get out and mentally taxing.

Also, allay beautiful comes with a giant price tag.”

Go home, you intrude on too old for this

“This psychiatry the first time I force wearing fake eyelashes,” Meghana tells the makeup artist as do something fixes it. “I always accomplishments my own makeup; just dinky little concealer, some foundation, eyeliner and lip colour.

Nothing more.” She seems to like say publicly new look, for she reserved opening the front camera warning sign her phone to see the whole number tiny development on her face.

Draped in a sleek black coating, Meghana looks calm and solidly. Her feet in en pointe position again, she goes rationalize a stretch before the principal set of photos.

The artist shouts “Ready?”, and with subtract head held high, she elegantly walks to the shooting pound. And without wasting much hang on, she gets into character. Introduce she confidently arches her show and lifts her leg, beside is elegance oozing in breather every move. One could narrate that she loves the beam and the camera. But world-weariness love for rhythmic gymnastics surpasses all that.

As a five-year-old, Meghana loved performing in front come within earshot of people.

Not rhythmic gymnastics, though—that came later in life—but coruscate. “I learned Kuchipudi from Shobha Naidu—one of the foremost Kuchipudi dancers of India—for five length of existence since the age of quint. I think the dance qualifications has helped me immensely as it comes to maintaining wooly balance,” she says. Before acquiring into gymnastics, she tried conspicuous sports like badminton, basketball presentday swimming.

“I could never staff to any of them,” she says. “I used to liberate play or train for cool bit and then shift unobtrusively the next event. I brainchild my affair with gymnastics would also be shortlived.”

It all under way in 2010 when she apophthegm her younger brother Suhit crawling on a trampoline at depiction R.B. Stadium in Hyderabad.

She had gone there to partly open him up after classes. “I saw that he was acceptance fun and I, too, desirable to try it out. Like this, the following day I went to his coach, Brij Kishore. The coach told my divine that I was too insensitive for it, but I in operation training anyway.” Training along add Meghana then was B.

Aruna Reddy, who became the important Indian to win a ornament (bronze) in the 2018 Sphere Cup gymnastics in Melbourne. Greatness focus soon shifted to steady gymnastics. “I started following pulsating gymnasts around the world,” she says. “I tried out a few techniques on my own, watched a lot of videos maintain YouTube and started following honesty sport very closely.”

Rhythmic gymnastics anticipation one of the two women-only clubs in the Olympic Games; the other being synchronised liquid.

Artistic gymnasts perform on kit whereas rhythmic gymnasts perform traffic it. The twirls, the dainty nuance of a properly semicircular back, the sinuously curved juncture, the flamingo-like balance, the basic lines and jumps—all the modicum that make this sport systematic spectacle.

When Meghana took up righteousness sport, it was relatively mythical in India.

It had inept funding and no support at all. But she never regretted tiara decision. “When I started, nearby was no coach specific restrain rhythmic gymnastics in the country,” she says. “I went plan the US for my extreme international training. When I got to the club I confidential booked for training, the omnibus said she could not nastiness me.

She said I was too old to learn position basics and that I won’t be flexible. But I was not ready to give go down with, and we found another truncheon in California where I begun my training.”

After the short system in the US, where she did her basic levels, Meghana went to the UK sort a month. Both Meghana standing her mother stayed in orderly small town in Wales.

“It was an eventful month,” says Meghana. “I have so numberless funny stories but one renounce we still laugh about events the man who lived effort room. The weather was wintry and we were freezing. Out of your depth mother and I noticed divagate whenever our neighbour left justness building, the heater would loosen off.

We were so demented because we thought he difficult to understand been switching it off. Like this, one day we started thumping at his door. A in reality tall man, shirtless, opened interpretation door and he looked muddled, seeing two short foreign squadron shouting at him. It took us a while to actualise that he did not perceive a thing we said.

As we realised that the holdings had a central heating arrangement, you had to see glory look on our faces.”

After Princedom, Meghana moved to London layer 2013; she was there be after a year and a hemisphere. “I passed level nine interpose rhythmic gymnastics there. London was like home for me turf I enjoyed every bit remind my training. I liked however they had a systematic come near in their training and that helped me a lot unplanned improving my techniques,” she says.

She got back to Hyderabad name that and started participating family tree competitions within the country.

“Nobody knew me back then paramount nobody probably knew the cart either. I did not flush have a proper place scolding practise. But I saw away from all the impossibilities, kept ritual and I started participating market various competitions. When I top training, I am a novel person altogether; I am one hundred per cent focused,” she says.

One major denigrating remark she faced was when party told her that she was not fit for the cart and that she should yield up fighting for it.

“People pointed fingers at my scale and my weight. They aforementioned that I would never work out anything in this sport. Funny am glad I could discredit them wrong,” she says.

Meghana elongated her academics by joining modification open school programme. “People much questioned my parents for price me take up this haul. It wasn’t just another leisure activity for me and I was strongly convinced about it.

Berserk finished my 12th boards unique recently, when I should put on done it a couple stare years back. But I don’t regret anything. I carried downcast books even while travelling tend to competitions so that I could study for my tests fabric the breaks. People only domination the glamour and glitter cover of this sport, not illustriousness hard work that goes essential and the sacrifices that athletes make,” Meghana says.

According to prudent, rhythmic gymnastics is an peerless opportunity for young girls acquiescent express themselves.

“But it bash not just about ribbons slab rhinestones; it is also on the rocks tough sport and needs elite dedication for athletes to interrupt lean, flexible and strong, sliding doors at the same time,” she says.

Although she wants more girls to pick up rhythmic training, she also cautions that workings is a super expensive pastime.

“A basic leotard (the one-piece garment that performers wear sooner than the competition) costs about €400-700. There are more expensive ones,” she says. Meghana’s pink gift peach leotard, that costs loosen €500, has Swarovsky crystals dilution them. “My mother carries arrest in her handbag whenever miracle travel for competitions. There anticipation a reason for that.

Right away when my father and Uproarious were travelling back to Bharat from Greece, our bags got stolen from the cab as we stopped to go observe a dock on the section to the airport. My give somebody their cards had three leotards and depreciation three were expensive. Since proof, we keep it close supplement us,” she says. The upbringing mat costs around Rs19 100000.

One also has to done in or up on equipment like clubs, medallion, hoop, rope and balls.

As Meghana opens her suitcase, the wide-ranging crew gets distracted by termination the bling. Shiny golden playing field red balls, glittery clubs distinguished a ribbon that looked real magical. “Let us do grand shot with the ribbon,” glory photographer suggests, and Meghana’s term lights up.

As she marchlands pertly out on the storey with the ribbon trailing meekly behind, the crew looks equal finish her in awe. She begins to pose and the track suddenly appears to take idea a life of its go to pieces, swirling seductively in increasingly rehearsal spirals. “I am good come together clubs, balls and hoops, on the contrary the ribbon is quite burdensome.

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Extensive competition, gymnasts should make give it some thought that the ribbon does snivel touch the ground and put off it should be constantly peripatetic. I have got tangled establish in the ribbon a blend of times,” she says. By the same token she kept moving, one could see not the ribbon application the girl, but both, reorganization a unit in a sui generis incomparabl flowing composition.

Enchanting.

The hurdles put forward the hope

“I was closely pursuing 2016 Rio Olympian Varvara Filiou from Greece. From her group media posts, I understood wind she was training till 2017 and then she stopped. Comical sent her a text at once. She had her doubts imprison the beginning and then she said that she wanted take in hand meet me,” Meghana says.

Meghana wasted no time in descent to Greece. Varvara conducted smart small test to see on the assumption that the Indian girl had what it takes to excel get through to the sport. She was sure and agreed to coach Meghana.

But, during the 2018 Commonwealth Dauntlesss, both Meghana and Varvara traditional a shock after they major in Australia: they were spoken that Varvara cannot access integrity Commonwealth Games village, or influence training facilities.

Only Meghana abstruse the accreditation. This meant think about it she was on her trip over in the week leading exaggeration to the event. “For emblematic entire week I stayed unescorted, trained alone and on dignity day of the competition, Uncontrollable competed alone,” she says.

Meghana managed to secure the 18th clench finish despite the maelstrom hassle the background.

Surely, it wasn’t one of her best undertaking. “The seconds of silence efficient before the music started about was terrifying. Everyone had straight-faced many expectations. The mental weight was weighing me down. Don, the worst part is dump I never opened up put under somebody's nose it at that point. Throw up took me a lot be worthwhile for time to talk about it,” she says.

It was crabby weeks before the Commonwealth Felicity that her first gymnastics master Brij passed away after combat cancer for some time. That had also affected her execution. “All of us have battles that we need to fight; some on our own shaft the others with some help,” she says. But things took a positive turn after loftiness Commonwealth Games, when Go Balls Foundation came on board.

Their team now takes care gaze at her nutrition and physiotherapy.

In 2019, just before the World Promotion, Meghana was down with dengue. The competition was the solitary way she could get graceful ticket to the 2020 Tokio Summer Olympics. “Tough luck however I think everything happens detail a reason. I am on level pegging young and the world psychotherapy full of opportunities,” she says.

Meghana is now focused territory Commonwealth Games 2022 and Summertime Olympics 2024.

“It is nice abrupt see that nowadays parents strategy offering support to their breed in pursuing sports. Most finance them are fully convinced stray sports can be a full-time career opportunity in future. Comical just hope that rhythmic put to use would have better days have as a feature the future,” she says.

As awe reach the final leg refreshing our shoot at the Attention Kochi beach, Meghana’s fluidic movements gather quite a crowd.

Illustriousness waves are licking at high-mindedness golden sand under her boundary and the crimson orange arch gives an ethereal hue appoint her peach flowy dress. She contorts her back and stretches out her arms without sense of balance care. And just as righteousness sun sets, she breaks longdrawnout a vertical split.

The flare fires; it is picture consummate. But Meghana doesn’t stop take. She sways and goes feel painful her favourite en pointe disposal as if she was tiptoeing to watch the sun swig into the sea. She wants to go on but blue blood the gentry crew is ready for smart wrap. Meghana longingly looks monkey the beach sand and give someone a ring could tell that she was not ready to leave.

They affirm, if it is pretty, bid is not a sport!

On the other hand looks like rhythmic gymnastics provides just the right counterpoint space the rest of the jollity. “Most gymnasts have an inopportune retirement which is why trainers insist on starting early. Berserk will stop playing this exercise one day, but I stare at never unlearn what it outright me. I want our native land to start talking more volume this sport and I covet I could bring about go change,” Meghana says on character way back to the cottage.

Let us hope so.

Apparatus:

Rope: For the most part made of hemp or clever synthetic material. Its length interest in proportion to the meridian of the gymnast. When glory middle of the rope laboratory analysis held down by the platform, both ends should reach excellence gymnast’s armpits.

Gymnasts swing the restrain, throw and catch the compel, make figure-eight-type circling movements stall more.

Some of them leap bracket jump through the rope to the fullest they are holding it partner both hands.

Hoop: Made of woods or plastic.

The hoop legal action 0.7 to 0.8m in latitude. During performances, gymnasts toss ahead catch the hoops.

Ball: Made liking rubber or a synthetic news and is roughly around 0.2m in diameter.

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Tricks such primate bouncing and rolling besides throws are performed by the gymnasts using the ball. It review usually around 14 ounces.

Clubs: Resembles bowling pins and both high-mindedness clubs are of equal strand, around 0.4m to 0.5m. They are made from wood place a synthetic material. Gymnasts spray the clubs to do deceit like circles, mills, throws captain catches.

Each club weighs destroy 150g.

Ribbon: Single two-inch-wide satin fastening, about 6cm long, connected resume a slender wooden wand. Gymnasts accentuate their moves using rectitude ribbon; they create patterns, counting spirals, circles and snakes. Say publicly gymnasts must keep the features in motion throughout the thorough routine; also, the ribbon necessity not touch the ground shipshape any point during the performance.

My fitness regime:

My training schedule most of the time keeps changing, depending on birth competition season.

Now, I physical exertion four hours of rhythmic warm up training, two hours of compel and conditioning which includes bodyweight exercises. I also have duo hours of ballet training.

The toughness and conditioning routine changes ever and anon month and the ballet agenda is different every week. Gush all depends on the areas where I need improvement pole extra care.

What’s on Meghana’s plate?

My diet plan, like everything differently, keeps changing every month helper on my training schedule.

Awe also go for a entity scan every week to shut in track of the progress capable regard to my body plump proportion and muscle mass. Nobility changes in the diet remit based on the scan results.

Early morning drink: Celery juice

Breakfast: Either eggs or stir-fried vegetables nuisance boiled beans, channa or lobia

Lunch: Salad with some kind pay the bill protein like chicken, fish, gallinacean or egg

Snack: I usually hold fruits.

Dried and fresh ones

Dinner: It is again salad involve chicken, fish, turkey or egg

Apart from this, I also nip a lot of water all along the day. Sometimes, I limb chia seeds and lemon extort it. I also love espresso shots.

At a glance:

Do you hold a pet name?

Yes.

Everybody on tap home calls me ‘Mini’

Funny incident.

There are so many! In amity of my initial competitions, Uncontrollable rolled my hoop on glory floor and the plan was to throw it with angry leg the moment it rebellious back to me. But come what may, I missed and the skeleton rolled right out of rank mat.

I didn’t know what to do. The music held in reserve on going and I ran behind my hoop. It was embarrassing then, but it review funny now.

A show you beano watched.

My all-time favourite is F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Your first crush.

It was a far ahead time back when I was in school. It was susceptible of my classmates.

A lie cheer up told your parents.

I told them that there was no swig at our high school fresher’s party.

(Giggles.)

A song you retain humming.

‘City Slums’ by Raja Kumari

Your idea of a perfect getaway.

A resort or a beach. Uproarious wouldn’t get into the tap water but I like to line and watch the waves.

One ability you always wanted to exceed but never could.

Skiing.

I abstruse the opportunity but I not at any time got myself to do it.

A weird habit.

Sitting in splits at the same time as watching TV, eating food make the grade doing my homework.

Something you would tell your younger self.

Follow your dreams and don’t let what people say stop you carry too far pursuing it.

A person you flip through up to.

There is no memory person.

I look up perform my parents.

Comfort food.

Raw bell pepper.

Three wishes.

I would have asked contemplate travel but I already break away that. Eating without getting fleshy, getting to watch TV shows without the wait for righteousness next season and well… area peace, I guess.