Youngest Olympian says achievement not big for her school

Rio De Janeiro, August 4

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Gaurika Singh may be the youngest competitor at the Olympic Games in Rio but the 13-year-old says there’s nothing unusual about that in her London school.

The Nepalese swimmer will be the youngest competitor at the Games when she dives into the water for the 100m backstroke heats on Sunday.

But she said such achievements at Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls in Hertfordshire, England—a highly competitive independent school—are par for the course.

When asked what her school friends think about her Rio jaunt, Singh told AFP: “They’re happy for me but a lot of people at my school are successful!

“Like national tennis players, a girl playing in the Harry Potter film—the new one—and Matilda on Broadway.

“So, yeah, we all have different opportunities.”      Singh, who was born in her native Nepal but moved to Britain when she was two—first to Scotland, then Preston and Leeds before her family finally settled in London—is not even sure she’s the best athlete in her school.

“There’s a Wimbledon player in the sixth form, doing junior Wimbledon.”

Singh may be making waves in Brazil due to her age but she is taking it all in her stride.

“I don’t really think about it much, I’m here competing like everyone else, so I don’t see any difference.”      However, she does admit that she never dreamed of becoming an Olympian when she first started swimming as a “hobby”.

“I started swimming while I was really young but I didn’t think it would take me this far,” she admitted.

“I started swimming competitively when I was nine and I didn’t really think I would be here, so it’s amazing and unbelievable.” — AFP