Ohio State alumna Lavanya Sirsikar (BS ‘14, health promotion, nutrition and exercise science) serves India’s Olympic lightweight men's double sculls rowing team as a lead strength and conditioning coach with the Sports Authority of India. 

Sirsikar helped India’s team reach its first-ever semi-finals and finish 11th overall, the best performance by Indian rowers in the history of the Olympic Games. She also trained athletes for the Paralympic Games, which are scheduled to begin to Tokyo on August 24. 

  Her career began at Ohio State, first with an internship followed by a position in the Department of Athletics as assistant strength and conditioning coach. As a trainer, she worked with athletes in track and field, rowing, volleyball, soccer and women’s hockey. She went on to become a performance coach for the Chinese Olympic Committee, staying with the organization until February 2020.  

Sirsikar joins Ohio State's 26 Olympians at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.