Genevieve D’Costa‘s silver medal at the national diving championship has now motivated her coach to push her for the gold in the next championship
Genevieve D'Costa has taken the plunge in style. With asilver and a bronze medal to show from her maiden senior national divingchampionships, the 14-year-old Saligao-based girl has announced herself as apossible medal hope for the state at the National Games. Genevieve, a studentof Our Lady of Rosary HS in Dona Paula, ended Goa's long wait for silver medalat the senior national diving championship when she finished second behindRailways' Hrutika Shriram in one-metre spring board diving event in Punerecently.
The last time a Goan clinched a silver at the seniornational diving championship, was 12 years ago. Genevieve also picked up abronze medal in three-metre spring boarddiving event. This senior national championship was a defining moment forGenevieve as she took on the might of traditional powerhouses of diving inIndia, like the Railways, Services teams and states like Maharashtra, West Bengal and Karnataka.
To win a silver medal, in such a field is a fine achievementfor Genevieve and her coach P Narsimhallu of Sports Authority of Goa. Genevievebegan training seven years ago under the guidance of P Narsimhallu. "Whenshe came to me, she knew swimming but not diving. Within two years, she came upto the national level. In her first nationals in 2009, she got two silvermedals. Genevieve has since not looked back" says the veteran coach.Genevieve has been consistent in variouscategories of national competitions. Twelve gold medals , five silvers andthree bronze medals makes her Goa's finest upcoming diver.
Her coach is now targetting the gold medal in next year'ssenior nationals. However, the magnitude of challenge facing Genevieve, isenormous. "The divers from Railways for example, are recruited for theirprowess in the sport. They just have to train and perform, while our diverslike Genevieve, also have school to take care of. But we will work hard to aim for gold medal in the nextsenior nationals" says Narsimhallu, who has been coaching over the last 22years during which his students have clinched 115 gold medals, 85 silver and 86 bronze medals. But a gold forGenevieve at the National Games to be hosted in Goa, will certainly be a veryspecial medal in that collection.
