VISAKHAPATNAM: A casual evening stroll at a local park in Visakhapatnam with her parents sparked a newfound fascination within young Yukti Vaisyaraj. Mesmerised by the sight of other children of her age gracefully gliding across the skating rink, she knew she had discovered her calling.
Commencing her training at the tender age of six, this brilliant 13-year-old prodigy has swiftly ascended the ranks, amassing over 50 medals in the prestigious national, state, and district-level artistic roller skating competitions over the past few years. The year 2021 was a total game-changer for Yukti when she clinched the gold medal in artistic skating at the 58th National Roller Skating Championship held in Chandigarh.
Embracing the philosophy that the journey is as significant as the destination, Yukti remains steadfast in her aspirations, exhibiting remarkable determination at such a young age.
Despite hailing from Narsipatnam town in Anakapalle district, she embarks on over 70km-long every week to get trained at her coaching centre in Visakhapatnam.
Ever since her family relocated to Narsipatnam, undeterred by the distance, Yukti eagerly travels to the city to refine her skills under the guidance of her esteemed coach. “It brings me great joy as a parent to witness my child’s strong determination and discipline to pursue her passion at such a young age,” Yukti’s father Venu expressed with pride.
“After moving to Narsipatnam, she has made it a priority to attend training sessions in Visakhapatnam once a week. While she takes four-hour online training from her coach on the weekdays, she travels to Vizag for in-person training during the weekends,” said Venu. However, the 13-year-old hasn’t compromised on her studies. Despite facing occasional setbacks and unavoidable interruptions in her training, Yukti has remained persistent.
“Presently, Yukti is preparing for an even grander challenge, the Asian Games. Winning a medal for the country is her ultimate dream. We are completely committed to supporting her in this journey,” he added.
Yukti calls her coach, Simhadri, as her guiding force who never let her to give up on the sport. “At a time when I was about to quit skating, my coach supported me and boosted my confidence. I aspire to win a medal at the Asian Games and bring honour to my country,” an emotional Yukti said.