Anaka Alankamony
| Full name | Anaka Alankamony | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country |  India | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | 10 July 1994 | |||||||||||||||||
| Residence | Seattle, USA | |||||||||||||||||
| Turned pro | 2009 | |||||||||||||||||
| Plays | Squash | |||||||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | 59 (June 2010) | |||||||||||||||||
| Current ranking | 241 (December 2015) | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| Updated on May 2017. | ||||||||||||||||||
Anaka Alankamony (born 10 July 1994) is an Indian squash player.[1] She held a career-high world ranking of 59 in 2010 and won the Arjuna Award, the second-highest sporting honour of India, in 2014.
Education
[edit]She was a student of Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering and a former student of Sacred Heart Matriculation Higher Secondary School Chennai.
Anaka enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in the fall of 2013. At University of Pennsylvania, she played on the women's squash team and studied Computer Science and Economics in the College of Arts and Sciences. Her studies in the United States were touted as a reason for her low participation in tournaments and slipping rank in the World Squash Rankings.[2]
Career
[edit]Anaka's first big win was at the Asian U-15 circuit at just 13 years of age.[3] She then set the world record at the age of 15 as the youngest person in the world to earn the WISPA title in 2009. Malaysia's Nicol David had earlier won the title at the age of 16.[4] Anaka was the second Indian, after Joshna Chinappa to win the WISPA title.[5] She won the same title for the second time in 2012.[6]
She was awarded the Young Achiever Award by Rotary Club of Madras Northwest.[7]
In 2008, she was crowned the Asian Junior Squash Individual Champion in 2008 in Korea.
Anaka won a bronze medal (team) at the 2010 Asian Games, Guangzhou and a Silver medal (team) at the 2014 Asian Games, Incheon.
Anaka won The Arjuna Award 2014 for her achievements in squash, as the government also felt that it was important to promote women squash players. However, this Award was mired in controversy after senior squash players from the country felt that she had not yet done enough in the professional circuit to deserve the award, especially because her rank had slipped from her career high 59 in 2009 to 151 in 2014.[2]
Anaka has receded from the professional circuit.
References
[edit]- ^ Squash Info | Anaka Alankamony | Squash
- ^ a b "Anaka`s recommendation for Arjuna Award raises serious questions". Zee News. 13 August 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
- ^ Suryanarayan, S. R. (4 July 2012). "Triumphs and trophies". The Hindu. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- ^ "Harinder Pal, Anaka wins PSA, WISPA titles - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
- ^ "Anaka Alankamony Latest News, Biography, Photos & Stats | Anaka Alankamony's Family, House Photos & News | Anaka Alankamony's Squash Records, Achievements | Sportskeeda.com". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
- ^ "Anaka Alankamony clinches her second WISPA title - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
- ^ Rising squash star Anaka Alankamony | SportsKeeda
External links
[edit]- Anaka Alankamony at WSA (archived)
- Anaka Alankamony at Squash Info
- 1994 births
- Living people
- Indian female squash players
- Penn Quakers women's squash players
- Asian Games medalists in squash
- Asian Games silver medalists for India
- Asian Games bronze medalists for India
- Squash players at the 2010 Asian Games
- Squash players at the 2014 Asian Games
- Medalists at the 2010 Asian Games
- Medalists at the 2014 Asian Games
- Racket sportspeople from Chennai
- Sportswomen from Tamil Nadu
- Recipients of the Arjuna Award
- 21st-century American sportswomen