Naresh
Nepali swimmer Gaurika Singh, already a seasoned international competitor at 13, is poised to become the youngest Olympian in Rio when she hits the water in the 100m backstroke heats on Sunday.
At 13 years and 235 days, the five-foot one-inch swimmer is the youngest among over 10,000 athletes competing at these Games, the official website of the Rio Olympics confirmed on Monday. She currently lives with her parents in Britain and studies in grade eight at Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls in Elstree, Hertfordshire.
“That’s quite cool, a bit unreal, too,” said Singh, who will be 13 years and 255 days old.
It’s not surprising the London-based schoolgirl, who swims for English club Barnet Copthall, is undaunted by the prospect. Singh shot to fame at the 12th South Asian Games (SAG) in Guwahati, India earlier this year. She won a silver in 200m individual medley and bronze medals in 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke and 400m freestyle–all in new national record timings.
She has set sights to better her own national record of 1 minute 7.31 seconds when she enters the Olympic pool to compete in 100m backstroke heats on Sunday.
