Did you know Kantara girl Sapthami Gowda is a National gold medalist in swimming?

Sapthami Gowda is currently basking in the glory of Kantara. The actor is only two films old but has already made strong impressions with her choices of roles and one does hope to see her in many more vibrant performances. However, not many would know that Kantara isn't Sapthami's maiden tryst with pan-Indian success and that much before cinema came calling, she was a decorated swimmer who has won several medals at the national level.

Yes, Sapthami Gowda was a bona fide 'aqua baby' whose journey as a swimmer began at the tender age of 5. Reportedly, it was her father and renowned police officer S.K. Umesh who nudged her towards the water sport and being a zesty, athletic child, she took to water like a fish! Sapthami would begin to participate in competitions at the age of 9 and win her first gold medal the same year at a State level swimming event held in Mangaluru. 

And there was no turning back for Sapthami who then forayed into the National levels for swimming and is said to have won multiple medals in various categories. Over the next few years, the Popcorn Monkey Tiger actress would remain among the country's best young swimmers but the pinnacle of her achievements came in 2009 when she won the Sub-Junior National triathlon with a glorious gold medal. Sapthami's accolades would almost fetch her a call from an international event in Japan but, reportedly, she wasn't allowed to participate for being underage.

The actress would then go on to graduate with a degree in Civil Engineering but remained a fitness enthusiast throughout. Her social media feed serves as a good testament to her penchant for physical sports - so much so that Rishab Shetty would cast her to play the role of Forest Guard in Kantara!

Sapthami Gowda's acting career began with a principal role in Suri's 2020 film Popcorn Monkey Tiger (opposite Daali Dhananjaya). Her role as the boisterous Girija won her a lot of attention but the actor in her chose to steer clear of typecasting as she wished to portray characters of different shades and temperaments.