Two city sailors have been selected to represent India in the boys' laser category at the Asian Sailing Championships 2022 to be held in Abu Dhabi from February 27 to March 6.
Vatsal Banker from the Secunderabad Sailing Club and Sanjay Reddy have been selected by the Yachting Association of India for the competitions.
Banker and Reddy, both 16 and from Hyderabad, were selected from 60 sailors, to represent India at the event.
The sailors recently returned from Karwar of Uttara Karnataka district in Karnataka, where they were trained for 45 days by the Yachting Association of Karnataka.
Some 300 sailors from over 10 countries are expected to participate in the championships at Abu Dhabi.
Banker, who is one of India's top-ranked sailors, is competing in the Laser 4.7 category.
9 Indian sailors including two from the Secunderabad Sailing Club are going to compete in this category along with 60 other sailors drawn from 10 countries.
Banker stands a good chance to win a medal and qualify for the Asian Games 2022 to be held in China in August/September this year.
If he qualifies, Banker will also be the first sailor from Telangana to make it to the Asian Games 2022.
Banker is a current member of the national squad, and has performed well at the national level. "He can now set his sights on representing India at the Asian Games," said his coach Arjun Pradipak, a national medalist who represented India at the Asian games, and who has been training Banker for the past six years.