Bengaluru, Jan 14: She is Ridhima Sharma. She is a wrestler from Ludhiana. She used to train at Sports Authority of India (SAI) campus two years ago. She had a common dream like all other wrestlers, that was to don India jersey in an international championship. But she received the first shock after being ignored by the national coaches as well as selectors before the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Harish Sharma, the father of Ridhima has a cycle repairing shop in Ludhiana. He often struggles to survive financially. He did not have the least amount of money to fund his daughter's wrestling.
Ridhima after reaching Canberra, the Australian capital citry, had started training. Her father said, "It was too risky for Ridhima to move to Australia with no financial security and no future. Still, she became adamant and went to Australia to prove her mettle in wrestling. I was spending sleepless nights with the anxiety whether she would be able to succeed there."
Ridhima impressed the coaches in Australia for the first time this year in Melbourne Cup. She had clinched the gold medal in the 55kg category in Melbourne Cup this year.
Then she again stunned the coaches of Australian national team by winning gold medal also in recently held Canberra Cup in the same 55kg category.
Harish said, "Actually, after beginning her training in Canberra his daughter met one of the legendary Australian wrestling coaches Yakubi Amin and sought his guidance. Yakubi extended help, offered her training at the famous Australian wrestling club 'Extreme'."
But despite expressing pride for her daughter's success, Ridhima's father seems frustrated with another reality that Ridhima has not yet been able to receive Australia's citizenship.
She has already been working with a private farm. More importantly, she has started studying. In the late evening, after coming back from job, Wriddhima is training. Harish said, “She has been working so hard only to get Australian citizenship."
OneIndia News