Eighteen-year-old powerlifter Saaina Bajaj serves as a reminder of the positive impact parents can have on their children.
From considering herself plump as a preteen, she went on to become a powerlifting champion at age 16 and later bounced back from an unexpected medical issue.
Bajaj moved with her family to Hong Kong from India in 2017 and, like so many other girls her age, was keen to fit in.
“I remember comparing myself with girls in my class and thinking I was overweight. I was determined to lose the excess pounds,” says Bajaj, who recently graduated from Hong Kong International School.
She joined the school football team and began walking everywhere instead of taking taxis or buses.
“By grade eight, I was running 10km (6.2 miles) almost every day. I lost weight and looked thin but lacked definition and muscle tone,” Bajaj says.