Big dreams from a small frame: Sini flying to Germany for swimming championship

Thrissur: Height does not matter when your dreams touch the stars. Sini who is 120 cm tall is leaving for Germany soon to participate in the World Dwarf Games (WDG) swimming competition.

The WDG is scheduled to commence on this month in Cologne, Germany and Sini K Sebastian (39) is the sole participant from Kerala.

Sini, a native of Vannappuram, Idukki, has been practising since the past two years in Thrissur. The free training she received proved beneficial as she participated in national-level swimming competitions held in Rajasthan and Guwahati. 

In Guwahati, she won the silver medal by swimming 50 metres within two minutes in the breaststroke event. Apart from this, she also participated in the freestyle competition.

In addition to swimming, she trains for sports events like shot put and javelin throw. She bagged silver for shot put and bronze for javelin throw in state-level competitions. 

Despite holding a nursing diploma, Sini couldn’t get a job. It was then that she learned about the Darshana Service Society, which works for specially-abled individuals. She contacted the president of the society, Fr. Solomon who invited Sini to Thrissur. Accommodation and training was provided free of cost here.

Binu Muringathu is Sini’s coach. The Jasno Edusports swimming pool in Puranattukara was made available for her training which lasted from 10-12 in the morning and 2-4 in the afternoon.

Within two years of training, Sini proved her mettle to participate in an international swimming championship. Sini will travel to Germany with her brother Sonu and Fr. Solomon.