Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games 2022: Youngest athlete Anahat Singh wins hearts with performance and smile
14-year-old Anahat Singh swatted away her opponent in 15 minutes on her senior debut at the CWG. But it was they way she went about her business that won hearts, drawing an embrace from her opponent as well.
Anahat Singh looks to the crowd during her Round of 64 match (Twitter/TeamIndia)
14-year-old Anahat Singh swatted away her 20-year-old opponent on her senior debut at the Commonwealth Games on Friday, but it was her winning smile that bowled everyone over.
At the end of her Round of 64 match which Anahat won 11-5,11-2, 11-0, even her opponent - Jada Ross of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - clasped her in an embrace as the crowd broke out in thunderous applause at the University Show Court in Birmingham.
"It's my first senior tournament, so I didn't really know what to expect, but I got more confident as the match went on. I had nothing to lose. A lot of my family are here and they were all cheering really loudly," Anahat said in the mixed zone after her win.
Anahat will next play world No 19 Emily Whitlock in the round of 32. Joshna Chinappa has defeated Whitlock earlier this year, but will be a bigger challenge for Anahat.
The 14-year-old had been selected in the Indian team following her impressive run at the under-15 level including wins at the Asian Junior Squash and German Open this year.
Anahat had been inspired to take up sports as a 6-year-old after watching a PV Sindhu match. This year, she is appearing alongside her idol at the CWG, the year's biggest sports extravaganza, and winning as many hearts.
