CHENNAI: Shameena was around ten-years-old when she accompanied her father N Mohammed Riaz, former India hockey captain, to Madras Cricket Club. The trip changed her life forever. Hailing from a sporting family, Shameena was into skating before holding the squash racquet on that fateful day. Eight years later, she is still wielding the racquet hunting down medals for Tamil Nadu with the latest of them coming at the ongoing Khelo India Youth Games in front of a home crowd.
After finishing with bronze in the individual event on Tuesday, the 18-year-old teamed up with Pooja Arthi R and Deepika to beat Anika Dubey, Nirupama Dubey and Reiva Nimbalkar of Maharashtra to clinch gold in the team event on Wednesday. "One day I went to Madras Cricket Club in Chepauk with my father. When we reached there I just had a chance to play squash. Dad always wanted me to play any sport which I liked, The next day I got my squash kit and joined Indian Squash Academy," Shameena told this daily.
She had represented the country in the World Junior Championship twice and won team gold at the 2023 National Games held in Goa. Before that, she bagged the silver in the team event at the 2022 National Games in Gujarat. The beginning, however, was not as smooth as she would have thought. A losing streak for more than a couple of years meant Shameena used to get demotivated. It's then her parents and coaches played a key role to keep her motivated. "When I started playing squash, I competed a lot but kept losing, I used to cry and worry about losing but my parents never let me down. My coaches were always supportive. With his vast experience in international hockey, my dad used to keep me motivated," she added. Shameena's mother, Mehnaz, also played hockey and represented Tamil Nadu at national competitions.
Riaz, a renowned midfielder of his time who represented India in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics apart from playing two World Cups and winning a silver and a gold medal in the Asian Games, strongly believes Shameena can win laurels for the country in the coming years if she gets requisite support. "The Tamil Nadu government has helped her a lot but it's not easy to bear all expenses as squash is an expensive sport.
I have requested the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu for financial assistance. If she gets it, she will improve by leaps and bounds. We spend more than `6 lakh annually for her. It includes expenses on her equipment, training, diet, nutrition and tournaments. A bit of support from the government can do wonders for her," said Riaz.
And it's not about squash only as Shameena is pursuing engineering in information technology. Always good at academics, she never compromised with her studies. In fact, it has always been a priority for her. "I have done well in my academics as well, I always learnt how to balance both. I learnt time management to ensure both of them get equal attention. Obviously, there is pressure as you have to win on both sides but my mom is always there behind me pushing and encouraging me to do good in both. She makes sure that I finish my studies and also come on time for training and do all my stuff here," she said.
Riaz, a Hockey India selector for the senior men's team and chairman of the Tamil Nadu hockey selection committee, is hopeful that the medals at the KIYG will not only motivate his daughter to do better but also fetch the desired financial assistance for which they have been longing for a long time. The ace hockey player is also playing his part at the competition as an expert coach for the state team.