A trained Bharatnatayam dancer, a lead UI/UX designer with a leading MNC and India’s first female water polo coach, Sayali Gudhekar wears multiple hats.

Sayali was only 14 when she captained the Indian team for the first time. She demonstrated passion and leadership from a young age and the recently concluded Indo-Sri Lanka Championship in Sri Lanka, was her first stint as India’s first female coach. Her team won the series with a clean sweep over Sri Lanka.

Her transition from a player to a coach has been emotionally empowering and Sayali couldn’t agree more. In an exclusive conversation with The Bridge, Sayali shares her journey and plans ahead. Excerpts:

Congratulations! Your U-21 women’s team had a clean sweep in Sri Lanka. Please take us through your experience.

It was an incredible journey. From Day 1, the team showed commitment, energy to go ahead. Every match was a testament to their preparation. They had the hunger to win and as we know that it was a clean sweep.

We had prepared well for the tri series. We had a month-long camp at SAI Bangalore. We had to make sure that we were going all out. There’s no mercy. It’s water polo, one of the toughest sports. So, yeah, we went all out and played well. The Swimming Federation of India (SFI) is helping us get good exposure with camps, international matches and other facilities. All in all it was a good journey.

This was your first stint as a water polo coach, making you the first female water polo coach in India. What does it feel like to begin your coaching career successfully on foreign soil?

Watching my team rise to this occasion, stay composed under pressure and clinch the gold was one of the most rewarding moments of my coaching career.

You have been an active player yourself, having led the Indian water polo team for a long time. How has the transition been?

I would say the transition has been emotionally empowering. From representing India as a young player to now mentoring the next generation, it feels like a full circle. And being the first female coach comes with a lot of responsibility. But it also opens doors for more women to step into leadership roles in this arena.

Water polo is a very male dominant sport and you have to pave your own path and make your own way. And I’m here for it.

You said water polo is a tough sport. What makes it a tough sport?

Water polo is a team sport and a very close contact sport. So, there are times when players pick up injuries in the water. To avoid that, we need to prepare ourselves on land. There are different strategies and tactics to play in each position. A center fullback training is different from that of a winger. Attacking tactics are different. Defensive tactics are different to keep us safe from injury.

We had an unfortunate incident in Sri Lanka, where our second best player tore the webbing of her finger that needed stitching. But despite that, the team didn’t panic and performed. So, these are the scenarios that you come up with.

Share with us your journey and the challenges?

I was 13 or 14 when I began playing water polo. That was the time when the visibility of the sport, especially for women, was not that much. It wasn’t easy. Even I have faced a lot of setbacks with injuries and the usual resistance that women often encountered in any contact sports. But there were highs too like captaining India, winning medals at senior nationals, junior nationals and national games and now coaching the under 21 team to international success. The journey has been tough but every challenge is built by resilience.

Water polo being a male dominant sport, what made you stay true to the sport?

The first thing that comes to my mind is only passion. I have always been passionate about water polo and the belief that water polo in India, especially for women, deserves more attention. Each setback made me stronger and every little win, personal or my teams, kept me going. I knew I had to give more not just as a player but as a mentor or a builder of the sport. I am associated with the Greater Mumbai Amateur Aquatics Association (GMAAA) as a vice president to provide a platform to young and budding players. It’s an honorary work.

What are your long-term and short-term goals?

In the short term, I want to create more exposure for our women athletes and prepare them to perform consistently at international tournaments. I aim to establish a stronger pipeline of talent through grassroots level and programs to see India being recognized as a competitive water polo nation globally.

What message would you give to someone trying their hands at water polo for the first time?

Go for it. It’s a game that challenges your body, sharpens your mind and it builds that unbelievable teamwork. Keep fighting till the last minute. It might be tough at first but with training, holding the ball, swimming with the ball, you have to shoot, you have to make plays for scoring. You have to think two steps forward and once you get hooked there’s no turning back. Water polo truly shapes the character like no other sport. It shaped me well so I’m really happy water polo chose me.

Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions that you believe in before going in for a match?

I think every sports person has it and so do I. I always take a quiet moment before the match, close my eyes and visualize. I like to cut off from social media or any kind of distractions or phone calls and just be into the moment. I believe, if it’s done in the mind then it’s already aligned with your body. You know what you’re doing and just stay positive and let the whole team feel that positivity.

Do you feel more responsible as a coach than when you were a player?

Yes, definitely because as a coach I’m answerable to everyone. If the team loses, I would say it’s because of me but when the team wins, it’s always because of everyone’s hard work. It’s a bigger responsibility right from training, planning schedules, to seeing who’s well, who’s not and it’s everything that falls under one rule.

How different is the coaching approach now?

I started with Parsi Hakeem (Parsi sir). He’s no more. He followed a very traditional approach but gave us the best in his capacity. Not just as a player he also pushed me into coaching at my club level. I remember one time he was in the US, I just had one and a half months to train my boys because our pool was under renovation and we were practicing at another pool. We won that tournament against defending champions. He said Sayali, I’m very proud of you and this is your journey. That’s how he pushed me so I’m grateful for it.

Your husband Arjun Kawle is also a professional water polo player. How does that help?

He plays for the Western Railway. He is one of the best center forwards India has. Coming back to the team I was playing, he was the coach. I was playing against his team. I was nervous as it was my first stint as coach and his team was champion for two years. It was like a healthy rivalry. I am proud of that.

What are the plans from here?

The focus is now on the senior team. We have Asian Championships in October in Ahmedabad. Most of the junior players will be in the senior camp. The life for players is very short in Indian water polo especially for women. The first phase of camp got over in April, now we have a second and third phase coming up. The second phase is before the Senior Nationals.

Why do you say the life of a women’s water polo player is shorter?

We don’t have opportunities. Male players have jobs, they have other options. But for women, we can only represent club teams. There are no professional teams. There is a police team but with very limited options and hence everybody pursues their studies.

What do you do when not playing water polo?

I’m a lead UI/UX designer with Accenture. In my teens I did my MFA and BFA in Bharatnatayam. Dance and water polo have always been my passion. Then, when you grow up, you choose.

Upon the event’s conclusion, the State or UT securing the highest count of gold medals will be declared the winner.

Over 800 athletes from 22 States and UTs from across the country will compete for medals at KIBG 2025.

Khelo India Beach Games 2025 sports list

• Beach soccer
• Pencak silat
• Sepaktakraw
• Beach kabaddi
• Beach volleyball
• Open water swimming

Pencak silat, a type of martial arts sport, will see the highest participation at the KIBG, with 22 teams set to compete for medals from May 20 to 23.

Sepaktakraw, or kick volleyball, will feature 17 teams and will be the only discipline hosted at Diu Beach, with all other events taking place at Ghoghla Beach.

Open water swimming will see 10 teams in action, while beach volleyball and beach kabaddi will feature eight teams each. Beach soccer rounds out the programme with participation from seven teams.

The KIBG 2025 will be the third Khelo India event of the year after the Winter Games and recently concluded Youth Games.

Where to watch Khelo India Beach Games 2025 live

Live streaming of the Khelo India Beach Games 2025 will be available on the Prasar Bharati Sports YouTube channel. KIYG 2025 will be telecast live on the DD Sports TV channel in India.

Khelo India Beach Games 2025 schedule

VIDEO: CIF Track & Field Championships

2021 CIF-SS Division 1 Track & Field Championships It was a historic day for Long Beach’s high schools at the 2021 CIF-SS Division 1 Track & Field Championships at Trabuco Hills High School. For more coverage of all Long Beach sports, head to www.The562.org. We are a non-profit, community-funded media outlet in the City of […]

Back-to-Back-to-BACK 

• Margot Appleton won her third straight ACC Outdoor 1500-meter title fending off Silvia Jelelgo of Clemson in second.
• Appleton edged out Jelelgo clocking 4:11.28 to the Clemson Tiger’s 4:11.61.

  1500m DOMINANCE

  Margot Appleton (4:11.28) holds off Silvia Jelelgo (4:11.61) of Clemson to defend her title!#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/z2w788LXvQ

  — Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 17, 2025

Setting a High Bar

• Celia Rifaterra continued her undefeated season winning the women’s high jump competition clearing a personal-best 1.86m/6-1.25.
• After clearing the first two bars on her first attempt, Rifaterra began clearing on her third attempt.
• Rifaterra is just the second Virginia woman to win gold in the women’s high jump alongside Ann Blair from 1983.
• Carly Tarentino equaled her personal best of 1.80m/5-10.75 to tie for second place in the competition. She cleared each of her three bars on her first attempt at each height before knocking the bar down at 1.83m/6-0.
• For their performance, both Rifaterra and Tarentino earned first team All-ACC honors.

  Let’s watch it again

  Big time performances by Celia Rifaterra and Carly Tarentino in the women’s high jump to go -!!#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/LDZy3dYLO3

  — Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 18, 2025

Gold for Christiana Ellina

• Christiana Ellina won the women’s javelin throw on her sixth and final attempt in the competition throwing for 52.44m/172-0.
• Ellina brought home the first ACC gold medal and first team All-ACC honors in the women’s javelin since Meghan Briggs in 2010.

  𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣 𝗜𝗦 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘

  Christiana Ellina brings home the first ACC gold medal in the women’s javelin since Meghan Briggs in 2010!!#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/T8pGuvK8pY

  — Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 17, 2025

Freshman Phenom

• Maya Rollins won the silver medal in the women’s 100-meter hurdles clocking 13.42.
• Rollins already owns the freshman record in the event which she set in the prelims of 13.33. Her time also ranks third all-time in program history.
• For her performance, Rollins earned first team All-ACC honors.

  Clock it

  Maya Rollins brings home the SILVER!!!! #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/EmHM9tr2W6

  — Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 17, 2025

Hurdle Dominance

• Alex Sherman brought home the bronze medal in the men’s 400-meter hurdles clocking a new personal best of 49.98.
• Sherman’s time broke the Virginia record which previously stood at 50.02 by Steve Delice in 2010.
• His time ranks 17^th in the NCAA and eighth in the east region this season.
• This marks the third consecutive year in which Sherman has made the podium at the ACC Outdoor Championships, winning the silver medal in the event a year ago and bronze in 2023.

More Notable Performances

• Virginia went three for three qualifying to the final of the women’s javelin with Christiana Ellina, Abigail Meckes and Siobhan Loughney.
• Ellina won gold while Meckes (42.61m/130-3) and Loughney (42.23m/138-6) finished seventh and ninth.
• Emily Alexandru ran a strong race in the women’s 400-meter hurdles clocking a new personal-best 58.13. In her first ACC Outdoor final, Alexandru finished fifth and earned second team All-ACC honors. She moves up to No.7 all-time in program history.
• Lily Hulland earned second team All-ACC honors in the women’s triple jump finishing fifth with her mark of 12.89m/42-3.50 (+3.0).
• On her third event of the weekend, Estel Valeanu finished fourth in the women’s discus throwing for 55.93m/183-6.
• Both men’s and women’s 4×100-meter relay teams recorded season best times. The women’s quartet of Ariel Fletcher, Lola Kolawole, Sophia Akpan and Sarah Akpan just missed the podium by one spot finishing fourth in 44.30. The four tied for the fifth fastest time in school record.
• The men’s contingent of Evans White IV, Jacob Garnett, Jerlan Fish and Peter Djan combined efforts to stop the clock at 40.91.
• Will Daley grabbed a point in the men’s 1500-meters clocking 3:46.49 for eighth place.
• In the men’s 110-meter hurdles, Peter Djan ran his way to a seventh-place finish crossing the line in 13.97.
• Running a season-best 23.13, Sarah Akpan finished sixth to earn important points for the team and second team All-ACC honors.
• After winning the women’s 1500-meters, Margot Appleton returned to the track in the women’s 5000-meters. Appleton was the top Cavalier finisher in seventh place with her time of 15:52.55.

• Not far behind Appleton was Jenny Schilling (15:53.43) and Gillian Bushee (16:04.33) in ninth and 13^th place, both recording new personal best times. With their times, Schilling moves up to No.3 all-time while Bushee moves up to No.6 in program history.

• The 4×400-meter relay team of Sarah Akpan, Ariel Fletcher, Emily Alexandru and Brooke’Lyn Drakeford ran a season-best 3:33.14 to finish in sixth place and secure the team title for the Cavaliers. Their time ranks third in program history.

Thursday/Friday ACC Medalists & All-ACC:

• Jenny Schilling won the women’s 10,000-meters clocking 33:22.34.
• Keyandre Davis won the bronze medal in the men’s hammer throw with a new personal best mark of 67.12m/220-2. With his mark, Davis moved up to No.5 all-time in program history.
• John Fay (63.72m/209-1, 6th) and Annika Kelly (64.81m/212-7 PB, 4th) earned second team All-ACC honors in the men’s and women’s hammer throw. Kelly also broke her own school record which she set earlier in the season.
• Estel Valeanu earned second team All-ACC accolades in the women’s shot put throwing for 16.47m/54-0.50 to finish fifth.

All-ACC Finishes:
The Cavalier men and women accumulated a total of 14 All-ACC performances over the course of the meet:

• First team men: Keyandre Davis (HT), John Fay (HT), Alex Sherman (400mH)
• First Team women: Emily Alexandru (400mH), Margot Appleton (1500m), Christiana Ellina (JT), Celia Rifaterra (HJ), Maya Rollins (100mH), Jenny Schilling (10,000m), Carly Tarentino (HJ)
• Second team women: Sarah Akpan (200m), Lily Hulland (TJ), Annika Kelly (HT), Estel Valeanu (SP, DT)

The Smithfield Commonwealth Clash
The Smithfield Commonwealth Clash, originally called the Commonwealth Challenge (2005-2007), has been a part of the UVA-Virginia Tech rivalry since 2014. It is an all-sports, points-based program with the Commonwealth Clash trophy presented to the winning school each year for its dominance in head-to-head competitions. In men’s and women’s track and field, the points are awarded to the team that finishes highest at the ACC Championships. Virginia has already clinched the title; the Cavaliers get the point on the women’s side while the Hokies take the men’s point. With one more opportunity (baseball) to earn points, Virginia has a total of 14 points while Virginia Tech has 7 points.

Up Next
Virginia will continue the championship portion of the season with the NCAA East Regional in Jacksonville, Fla. Wednesday (May28) through Saturday (May 31) before heading to Eugene, Ore. for the NCAA Outdoor Championships Wednesday (June 11) through Saturday (June 14).