Bengaluru sprinter Unnathi Aiyappa eyes Asian Games debut in Japan

Unnathi Aiyappa, a 21-year-old sprinter from Bengaluru, is expected to make her Asian Games debut in Japan next month.

Aiyappa is expected to compete in the women’s 200m and the mixed 4x100m relay in Nagoya. She ran her 200m personal best of 23.4 seconds at the Inter-state meet in June and said she is working on endurance and the final 50 metres as she aims to go below 23 seconds.

Her mother, Pramila, won an Asian Games bronze medal 16 years ago. Aiyappa said she watched her mother return with the medal when she was five.

Aiyappa studied at Baldwins until Class 9, completed Classes 10 and 12 through open schooling, and graduated in journalism from Reva College. Her father, Aiyappa, was her first coach, and she now trains under Martin Owens.

The mixed 4x100m relay quartet of Harita, Animesh, Gurindervir and Unnathi has set a national record, her father said. He said cleaner baton exchanges could improve the team’s prospects at the Games. Pramila said Unnathi began accompanying her to the stadium when she was eight and has the ability to surpass her achievement.