KURNOOL: Deaflympic medal winner Shaik Jafreen, who will receive a national award next month, is looking for sponsors to realise her dream of winning a gold at the 24th Summer Deaflympics to be held at Caxias do Sul, Brazil from May 1 to 15, 2022.
Jafreen has been selected by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for the national award for sporting excellence. She has been adjudged the best sportsperson with disability (hearing impaired) and the award will be presented to her in New Delhi on December 3.
Jafreen, an MCA final year student, is now captain of Indian Deaf Tennis Team. She bagged a bronze medal at Deaflympics 2017. She has won nine international and eight national medals so far. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Jafreen said, "Though I was born deaf and dumb, I have much interest in tennis. I started playing tennis at the age of six. Now, I am ranked India’s No 1 and world No 12."
Jafreen who starts her day at 4 am, practises tennis for four hours, besides spending two hours on fitness. "At present, I am practising tennis at PBI Tennis Academy in Bengaluru with my own expenses. I am not getting any financial assistance from the government or private institutions. My aim is winning a gold medal for India at the 24th Deaflympics," she said.
Her father S Zakeer Ahmed, a resident of APHB Colony at B Camp in Kurnool city, said, "I am finding it difficult to provide quality coaching to Jafreen. I had to sell part of my property and take loans to provide coaching to Jafreen as it costs me about Rs 1.28 lakh per month."