Visakhapatnam, known as the ‘City of Destiny’ for its majestic beaches and ports, has become a prime destination for artistic roller skating. Recently, two female skaters from this city represented India in artistic roller skating at the Asian Games.
Key factors contributing to the city’s emergence as a skating hub include the availability of infrastructure, dedicated coaches, and enthusiastic parental support. Among these rising stars is Bollapragada Sri Sahithi, a record-holder in the Indian Book of Records for the most medals won by a teen in international and national roller skating events.
Sri Sahithi has been a national champion for the past six years and has represented Team India since 2013. Renowned as one of the best artistic skaters in Asia and the Pacific, her coach, Pawan Kumar, the National Coach for Team India, praises her as a standout talent.
Her achievements at the World Skate Organized Pacific Cup International Competition 2023 and the Taiwan International Open Competition 2024, where she won five medals, underscore her exceptional talent and dedication. These accolades highlight her as a young star in the world of roller sports.
Reflecting on her journey, Sri Sahithi says, “I started my skating journey at the age of four years. My father fueled my interest and got me admitted to one of the skating academies in Vizag.”
Her consistent performance in various National Roller Skating Championships demonstrates her unwavering commitment to the sport. At just 12 years old, she has won 5 international, 23 national, 30 state, and 36 district-level medals, totaling an impressive 94 medals.
“The international experience exposed me to global competition and taught me the techniques and program designs from the best contestants from Brazil, Italy, and Japan. In 2024, I won my first gold medal at an international event in Taiwan, along with a bronze medal and a fourth-place finish,” Sri Sahithi shares.
Her fitness coach, Mr. Bhargav, notes, “Sri Sahithi’s fitness levels are improving day by day with intensive training on vertical jumps and flexibility. Soon she will achieve European standards.”
Supported by the Divis Group, which provides training and sports accessories, Sri Sahithi’s father, Prabhakar, a businessperson, emphasizes the impact of this support on her global performance. In addition to her skating success, Sri Sahithi, a student at the Narayana Olympiad in Visakhapatnam, has secured first rank academically for the past four years.
Currently, she is preparing rigorously for the selection trials for the World Figure Cup, to be held in September 2024 in Italy, dedicating four hours daily to her training.
