|
Khaaliqa,
all of 12 years, aims for squash gold at CWG
Wednesday, September 29, 2010 03:52:03 PM,
IANS
|
|
New Delhi:
She studies in class 8, badly misses her mom, has fallen in love
with chicken tikka and naan, and she wants a medal -- not any, but
one at the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games. Meet Khaaliqa Nimji, all
of 12 years, from Kenya, one of the youngest competitors at the
Games.
It is a dream come true for Khaaliqa as she marks her arrival on
the international stage in India, a country about which she knows
little but has taken a liking for its food to such an extent that
she has not tried the African and the continental dishes since her
arrival at the Games Village Sunday.
She is part of a four-member Kenyan squash unit comprising two men
and two women.
"I am madly in love with the chicken tikka and the naan. That is
all I have been eating since I have come," she gushes.
"It feels great to represent Kenya. I know I am fairly young but
walking around with the elder lot does not bother me. I am just
thrilled to be here," Khaaliqa told IANS.
Khaaliqa is the number two squash player in Kenya and has defeated
the higher ranked compatriot Safina Madhani on more occasions than
one.
The young star inherited the sport from her father Sadri Nimji,
who played for the country in international events in the 1990's.
"I started playing when I was five and maybe my dad was also
playing at that time," she guessed.
"I don't know whether squash is in my blood. All I know is that I
love the sport," she said.
"Khaaliqa started playing tennis at a training center in Nairobi,"
her father Nimji revealed.
"But now I have to force her to play that sport. She prefers
playing squash all the time. It is so much fun for her." he said.
The security for the Games scared her at first as the Village has
been turned virtually into a fortress.
She almost panicked seeing police officials all around her as she
entered the Village.
"It was crazy when I first landed. I was scared of the cops being
everywhere but now I feel much better as I have started liking the
Village. Everyone is so friendly here," she said.
The little wonder that she is, Khaaliqa is sad at not being able
to meet her father regularly as only players and officials are
allowed to live in the village.
"I have met him only once since I came here. I can't meet him at
will, so I talk to him on the phone all the time. I badly miss my
mom, brother and cousins and can't wait to get back home," she
said.
(Bharat Sharma
can be contacted at bharat.s@ians.in)
|
|
|
|
Home |
Top of the Page |
|
 |
|
Comment on this article |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 News Pick |
|
Slapped,
kicked, abused - where's women's empowerment on TV?
Women are slapped, kicked, abused and raped in popular shows like
"Naa Aana Iss Des Laado", "Balika Vadhu" and "Pratigya"
that reach over 130 million households in India and they
»
|
 Tipu
Sultan's 24 paintings highlight of Sotheby's sale
Twenty-four rare paintings depicting the famous Battle of Pollilur,
in which the East India Company army surrendered to Tipu Sultan
and his father
» |
|
 Shah Rukh
Khan a symbol of religious unity: Vienna meet to debate
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is
seen as an icon of religious unity by many the world
» |
Toronto
Indians raise $320,000 for poor kids in India
The Indo-Canadian community here raised $320,000 for the welfare
of poor children in India at a fund-raising gala attended by
former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
The Sunday-night gala was organised by the Toronto chapter
»
|
|
Commonwealth Games: Delhi dressed up to receive the world
Through the dark clouds of
controversy, Delhi residents have begun to see a silver lining -
starting with a world-class new airport and an extended and
efficient Metro service, significant parts of the capital suddenly
»
|
Ram of
Hindutva Vs Ram of Saint Kabir: Festival to highlight the difference
Coinciding with the moment when the entire attention of the
country is on Ayodhya verdict to be declared later in the week and
to counter the image of Ram portrayed by the
» |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top
Stories |
|
PM
appeals for peace after Ayodhya verdict
Prime Minister Manmohan Tuesday urged the people to maintain peace
and harmony after the Allahabad High Court delivers its verdict
Thursday in the 61-year-old Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute in
Ayodhya.
»
Ayodhya
verdict on Sep 30
SC
dismisses petition seeking postponement of Ayodhya Verdict
Hashim Ansari relieved
by SC order on Ayodhya Verdict
|
|
|
|
Picture of the Day |
|
 |
|
Due to the threats of riot and
terror attacks, the festive season in India
nowadays results in sleepless nights for the security
personnel.
Against this backdrop, the show of communal harmony in Malegaon by Ajantha Mandal cannot be more timely. The Mandal
in a large hoarding portrays the real picture of the Muslim
dominated textile town in North Maharashtra. It shows,
Malegaon is where Azan in a Masjid and Shunkh
in a Mandir go simultaneously. To further make its point,
the Mandal plays communal harmony songs on a cassette-player
in its full sound.
(Photo: ummid.com) |
|
|
|
|
Most
Read |
|
Landslide in Mexico buries 300 homes, hundreds
feared dead
Hundreds were feared dead in Mexico Tuesday after
a landslide buried 300 homes in the country's southern Oaxaca
state.
After flying over the disaster area, state Governor Ulises Ruiz
said 500 to 600 people may have been killed. Seven bodies had been
» |
|
Israel stops Gaza aid boat organised by
European Jewish groups
An aid ship carrying eight Jewish
activists from Europe, Israel, and the US was apprehended by the
Israeli navy just miles off the coast of Gaza after being warned
by a warship. The voyage was organised by European Jewish
»
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quick links