2-year-old Dolly sets national archery record
‘She has become the youngest in the country to achieve the feat’
Vijaywada: A two-year-old girl archery prodigy Cherukuli Dalli Shivani from Vijaywada on Tuesday achieved a stunning feat by setting a new record and entering her name into the India Book of Records.
Shivani, the kid sister of late Indian coach and international archer Cherukuri Lenin who died in a road accident soon after 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, became the youngest Indian to score 200 points over five and seven-metre distances.
She shot 36 arrows each from five metres and seven metres to score 388 points at a show today in the presence of senior sports personalities and India Book of Records officials.
India Book of Records representative Vishwajit Ray and Sports Authority of India representative P Rama Krishna declared that the girl has entered the India Book of Records after which she was presented a certificate. Shivani will celebrate her third birthday next week.
Shivani's father Cherukuri Satyanarayana, who runs the academy in memory of his late son Lenin, said that his daughter would now attempt to enter her name into the Guinness Book of World Records.
"My daughter achieved the feat we have been dreaming of today and she has been awarded with certificates and medal by the Indian Book of Records officials present here. I can't express in words how happy I and my family is," Satyanarayana told PTI.
"Now, we will attempt to make Dolly's name enter into the Guinness Book of World Records. We have made the application today with the help of Indian Book of Records officials. Our application will be first registered and proceed from there. We are hoping to hear from Guinness Book of World Records so that my daughter can give the trial soon," he added.
Reports said that Shivani was conceived through surrogacy after the death of her brother Lenin.
Shattered by his son's death in 2010 and eldest daughter's untimely demise in 2004, Satyanarayana wanted someone from his family to carry on the legacy of archery and so he trained her daughter Shivani even as a toddler.
He said his daughter would one day represent the country. "I am sure that my daughter will represent India one day and then I will be a proud father," he said.