Teen Swimming Champion Commits Suicide Due to Alleged Fear of Failing in School

A 16-year-old teenage swimming champion from Ghaziabad in India died after committing suicide on Monday, January 25.

Saira Sirohi, the reigning 50-meter breast stroke champion of the CBSE National Games, was found hanging from the grille above the door of the room she shared with her 11-year-old sister. An extremely talented swimmer, Sirohi had over 200 medals under her belt and was bound to represent her country to the next Asian Games.

PHOTO CREDIT: India Times

PHOTO CREDIT: India Times

Sirohi, who is studying humanities Class XI in a private school in Ghaziabad, was allegedly pressured to do well in academics. The young athlete apparently missed several papers in half-yearly exam last November due to competitions she participated in.

“She had been telling me she won’t come for training for more than a month because she was afraid her school would fail her in her exams,” says Sirohi’s coach Raju Chaudhary.

Jyoti Gupta, the principal of Sirohi’s school, claimed that they didn’t put pressure on the competitive swimmer. The school head said that Sirohi was given the opportunity to select the date and time on which she wanted to appear in the papers she missed.

The police are currently investigating the incident.

The Warning Signs of Teen Suicide

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds, following accidents and homicide.

While girls consider committing suicide about as twice as often as boys, males tend to die four times as often as girls using lethal methods such as firearms, jumping from heights and hanging.

Here are some warning signs of suicide among teens, according to Kids Health.

  • talking about suicide or death
  • giving clues or hints that they may not be around anymore
  • talking about feeling hopeless and feeling guilty
  • pulling away from family and friends
  • giving away prized possessions to friends or siblings
  • loss of interested in school or sports
  • changes in sleeping or eating habits
  • losing interest in taking part in favorite activities
  • engaging in risk-taking behaviors
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