Neema Joyappa, aged 16, specialises in long jump, triple jump, 100 metres
and 200 metres. A 10th standard student at the St Joseph's Convent, Neema trains 10 months
through the year, with the conviction of realising her dreams. "Yes, I want to make
it big," the determined athlete said during an informal conversation during the
course of her training at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. With her mother's zealous backing,
she has got every thing it takes to achieve higher glory.
Neema Joyappa initially took up athletics due to the insistence of Holy Angel's physical
trainer Ms Ranjani Prabakar. She then graduated to training under David Premnath and Sunil
Abraham as personal coaches, where she did make progress as an athlete before she could
come under the qualified, keen, hard-working and watchful eyes of V.R. Beedu, under whom
she said she has done a lot of quality and quantity training with regards to development
of technique as well as skill.
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Neema Joyappa made her mark in the field of athletics at the Deccan Athletic Club's
weekend athletics meet. From there she has gone on to perform at various levels. As an
under-16, she won the silver medal in the long jump event at the inter-state all-India
Meet at Orissa 1999. Now as an under 18-athlete she has recently won the gold medal in the
long jump event at the inter-state all-India meet at Salem. She intends on achieving much
more. Being a 10th standard student, she has now eased on her training "but on
completion of my examinations I intend to train very hard," she said.
In spite of all the training and hard work that goes to make an athlete, Neema Joyappa has
not left her studies far behind. Knowing pretty well the manner of the job offered to a
sportsperson in our country she said "I am certain in my mind about giving education
all the credit it warrants." At the same time she is determined to display high
standards on the tracks. She makes it a point to consume a fibre rich diet along with the
other necessary constituents that go to make an efficient diet. With the full support of
her family, Neema could in years to come deliver the goods.
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