
India's 14-year-old swimming prodigy, Dhinidhi Desinghu, is going to make her Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Summer Games. Competing in the women's 200m freestyle under a universality quota, Dhinidhi's journey to the Olympics has been marked by early struggles and determination.
Her remarkable achievement follows the awarding of the Universality quota by the Olympic Games Tripartite Commission, a distinction she shares with experienced swimmer Srihari Nataraj.
Despite being just in the ninth grade, Desinghu has already showcased exceptional talent and commitment to her sport.
At just 14 years old, the Paris Olympics won't be her first experience with major tournaments. She previously competed in the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou and the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha.
Recalling her initial aversion to swimming, she shared with the Indian Express, "I didn't like the water, I didn't want to get in. I couldn't get my feet into the pool, I couldn't get my head inside. It was a struggle." Despite her fears, she persisted, driven by her parents' encouragement and the convenience of a pool next to their home.
Dhinidhi, who trains at Dolphin Aquatics in Bengaluru, admitted she initially struggled with basic swimming terms and techniques. "I knew the strokes—backstroke, breaststroke, and (butter)fly—but that was all I knew. I was scared to ask for help," she explained. Her mother, Jesitha, recalled how a pivotal moment at age eight helped Dhinidhi overcome her fears and build confidence in the sport.
Aarti Saha currently holds the record for the youngest Indian Olympian, having competed at the age of 11 in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.
China
On the hand , China's 11-year-old skateboarder Zheng Haohao has already etched her name in history as the youngest Olympian from her country. Zheng secured her spot for the Paris Games through the Qualification Series in Budapest and Shanghai.
Though Dimitrios Loundras remains the youngest Olympian ever at 10 years and 218 days from the 1896 Games, Zheng is set to be the youngest in Paris. Alongside Zheng, other teenage athletes like USA's Quincy Wilson and Hezly Rivera, as well as Great Britain's Lola Tambling and Sky Brown, will also be competing.
Zheng is on track to potentially become the youngest Olympic champion ever, with the chance to surpass Denmark’s Inge Sorensen, who won gold in the 200m breaststroke at just 12 years and 24 days old in 1938.