Zeba Wadia 8211; determination is the key

8220;Determination is what it takes to achieve excellence,8221; quipped the chirpy young lass, revealing the prime ingredient in her recipe for success, 8220;It is the only thing that all achievers have in common.8221; Putting it in perspective, she adds, 8220;Most of the time I felt I was swimming by myself, so how do I guage my peak?8221; Justifying her stand on the competition level, in her age group Group-I; U-18, is an interesting observation.

Among her records, the 400m Individual Medley was most noteworthy. With just two entries in the girls8217; section, the event was combined with the boys in which Zeba finished third and in the process managed to brush aside six boys. The end result was, she ended up slicing 23 seconds off the girls8217; record.

8220;I had expected to do well anyway,8221; Zeba points out, 8220;but the presence of faster swimmers alongside would have spurred me on to more memorable performances.8221; For Zeba, this self-belief to do more comes from none other than her coach, Dr PM Reddy, who has been with Zeba at the IIT pools at Powai since 1998. 8220;He keeps drilling into my head that I can do it and that really drives me on,8221; Zeba explains.

Another high-point in her career which transformed her outlook was the stint she had with the Indian team during their camp at Bangalore in 8217;98, preparing for the Bangkok Asian Games. What she learned then was to be responsible, committed and that pursuing one8217;s goal meant a lot of hard, hard work.

Missing out on last year8217;s Junior Nationals at Ludhiana, owing to the Indian camp, the forthcoming Nationals at Delhi is what she sets her sights on. About her chances, she confidently says, 8220;I know there will be big names like Nisha Millet, Reshma Millet of Bangalore, Nisha Mishra and last year8217;s individual champion, Richa Mishra of Delhi, but I believe in myself.8221;

In fact, Zeba who awaits her tenth board exams results says, 8220;It8217;s not just winning that I am looking at. I am eyeing the individual championship.8221; For the record Zeba, who has been to two senior Nationals Trivandrum in 8217;97 and Bangalore in 8217;98 so far, holds the 50m breaststroke record in what she terms is her pet8217; stroke in the swimming program.

Swimming is what Zeba pursues as a first, quite understandable as she already has chalked out her priorities in the commerce stream after her results. A Channel-V addict with VJ8217;s Nikhil and Cyrus as her favourites, the go-getter that she is says that, 8220;I would like to end up like Anita Sood 8212; a name looked up to among the swimming sorority. 8220;Why Anita? And pat comes the answer, 8220;Come on yaar, that8217;s the biggest name in Indian swimming.8221; Anita are you listening?