<p>The faster, the better. This is Neole Anna Cornelio’s motto every time she steps on to the track. These are words from a confident athlete. Neole owes the immense self belief to her past. As a child starting out, six years ago, Neole was subjected to body shaming. </p>.<p>Due to barbs from her competitors, the stout eight-year-old often felt dejected. “I would get bullied by senior runners and end up crying,” Neole tells <span class="italic">DH</span>. Before her detractors could crush her completely, Neole decided to let her results do the talking. And the first step towards it was to get fitter.</p>.<p>“I was a foodie. I cut down on junk foods. It wasn’t easy in the beginning. But I am glad I was able to focus on being a good sprinter,” she says. The role of her coach Mallesh S Dhanawade turned out to be crucial in this phase. </p>.<p>“Agreed that she wasn’t the fittest among the runners in her school but she was a fast learner. She would respond to my instructions like none other,” explains Mallesh. </p>.<p>It required hard work from the coach-athlete duo. But the results so far should give the duo enough motivation to aim bigger. Today, the 14-year-old, is one of the promising sprinters in Karnataka. Last year turned out to be a breakthrough one for Neole. In the South Zone Championship in Udupi, she clinched silver in 12.60 seconds in girls’ U-16 100 metres. </p>.<p>She dazzled in the Reliance Foundations National meet in Mumbai, coming second in the girls’ U-16 100M (12.48) and winning the 200M (25.05).</p>.<p>Mallesh, a middle-distance national medallist, was impressed with how Neole regrouped following a thigh injury. </p>.<p>“She suffered a muscle tear on her thigh in the 2018-19 season. Understandably, she was a bit low during the period but she never lost hope,” he says. Once back in action, Neole clocked 12.52 in the girls’ U-16 100 metres at the All India Junior Nationals in Thirupathi. </p>.<p>Neole, currently studying in ninth standard at the St Francis Xavier Girls’ High School, thanks her father Vijaya Nelson Cornelio, a cargo supervisor in dnata and mother Flora Flavia Cornelio, a homemaker, for their support during her difficult phase. The multiple State champion now looks to better her record at the national tournaments, starting September.</p>
<p>The faster, the better. This is Neole Anna Cornelio’s motto every time she steps on to the track. These are words from a confident athlete. Neole owes the immense self belief to her past. As a child starting out, six years ago, Neole was subjected to body shaming. </p>.<p>Due to barbs from her competitors, the stout eight-year-old often felt dejected. “I would get bullied by senior runners and end up crying,” Neole tells <span class="italic">DH</span>. Before her detractors could crush her completely, Neole decided to let her results do the talking. And the first step towards it was to get fitter.</p>.<p>“I was a foodie. I cut down on junk foods. It wasn’t easy in the beginning. But I am glad I was able to focus on being a good sprinter,” she says. The role of her coach Mallesh S Dhanawade turned out to be crucial in this phase. </p>.<p>“Agreed that she wasn’t the fittest among the runners in her school but she was a fast learner. She would respond to my instructions like none other,” explains Mallesh. </p>.<p>It required hard work from the coach-athlete duo. But the results so far should give the duo enough motivation to aim bigger. Today, the 14-year-old, is one of the promising sprinters in Karnataka. Last year turned out to be a breakthrough one for Neole. In the South Zone Championship in Udupi, she clinched silver in 12.60 seconds in girls’ U-16 100 metres. </p>.<p>She dazzled in the Reliance Foundations National meet in Mumbai, coming second in the girls’ U-16 100M (12.48) and winning the 200M (25.05).</p>.<p>Mallesh, a middle-distance national medallist, was impressed with how Neole regrouped following a thigh injury. </p>.<p>“She suffered a muscle tear on her thigh in the 2018-19 season. Understandably, she was a bit low during the period but she never lost hope,” he says. Once back in action, Neole clocked 12.52 in the girls’ U-16 100 metres at the All India Junior Nationals in Thirupathi. </p>.<p>Neole, currently studying in ninth standard at the St Francis Xavier Girls’ High School, thanks her father Vijaya Nelson Cornelio, a cargo supervisor in dnata and mother Flora Flavia Cornelio, a homemaker, for their support during her difficult phase. The multiple State champion now looks to better her record at the national tournaments, starting September.</p>
