BHUBANESWAR 08-Jul-2016
Odisha swimmer Pratyasha Ray created history by winning a hat-trick of gold medals in Group-II Girls (13-14 years) category of the 43rd Junior National Aquatic Championship, which is being held at Basavangudi Aquatic Centre in Bangalore from July 5.
Bhubaneswar lass Pratyasha, who bagged gold medals in 50m and 100m backstroke events, clocking 32.87 seconds and 1:10.47 seconds respectively, completed the hattrick by adding the 200m backstroke title with a timing of 2:35.57 seconds.
Pratyasha thus became the first swimmer from Odisha to win a gold medal in any National championship. Ranka Nanidhi Seth of Sambalpur had won the first ever National swimming medal for Odisha, bagging bronze in 50m backstroke event of the Sub-junior National Championship at Kolkata in 1992.
Pratyasha had become second national medallist of Odisha, securing the girls 50m backstroke bronze in the Sub-junior National Swimming Championship at Indore in 2014. She also claimed the girls 200m backstroke bronze in the Women National Sports Festival at Hyderabad in 2015 and one silver medal each in 100m backstroke and 50m butterfly events of the School Games Federation of India National championship at Kolkata in 2015.
Standard-IX student of BJEM School, Pratyasha has the chances to win more medals for her state as she is set to compete in three more events (200m backstroke; 50m and 100m butterfly) of the ongoing National championship.
Pratyasha took to organised swimming at the age of two years at Dr Jhasa Ketan Sahu Swimming Complex in Sambalpur, under the tutelage of Rankanidhi Seth. But since 2011, she has been honing her skills at Biju Patnaik Swimming Complex, Bhubaneswar, under the guidance of senior coach Surendra Naik. Earlier this year, she received coaching from Tapan Panigrahi at Pune.
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PHOTO: Pratyasha Ray (Centre) poses with her 100m backstroke gold medal in Bangalore on July 5, 2016.
