KOCHI: It is rare to see sisters competing in the same event in a sports meet. It is even rarer to see twins trying to outperform each other on a race track. However, it’s not something new for twins Aleena Maria John and Anitha Maria John, Plus-I students of Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Kochi, who have been taking part in the track and field events since Class I. The sisters will be competing in the 400m race at the Ernakulam Revenue District School Sports Meet underway at Kothamangalam MA College grounds on Tuesday.
“It was their teacher in class I who realised their talent,” said Bindu John, mother of the twins, who hail from Kasaragod. Their father John C Joseph is a farmer. “Aleena and Anitha haven’t missed any sports event since class I. The track is their passion,” said Bindu. The performance of the sisters saw them getting a place at the Mercy Kuttan Athletic Academy while studying in class VI.
Following this, they shifted their base from Kasaragod to Ernakulam. “They wanted to follow their dream of becoming the best athletes. But that doesn’t mean they are not good at their studies. In their class X board exams, they scored very good marks,” said their mother, adding that the twins want to take up sports as their career.
Bindu said though both of them take part in the track events, they specialise in different categories.
“While Aleena specialises in long-distance events like 800m, Anitha is more into short-distance races like 400m and 200m,” she said. Previously, the sisters had competed against each other in the 400m in the 2018 meet.