#GoodNews: India’s First Gold at World Para Swimming Championship

She has made India proud!

Nagpur’s Kanchanmala Pande created history on Thursday, 7 December, as she became the first Indian to secure pole position at the World Para Swimming Championship in Mexico, reported The Times of India.

The 26-year-old Reserve Bank of India employee won gold in the 200 metre medley event in the S-11 category, and was also the only indian to qualify for the women’s category. Unfortunately, she missed a podium finish in the 100 metres freestyle and came fifth in the breaststroke and backstroke category.

I had prepared well for the World Championship. I was expecting a good show in Mexico and also a medal. But, securing the top position and a gold medal at the World Championships is surprising. I am really very happy. At the same time, I don’t know how to express it in words.

Kanchanmala Pande to TOI

Pande, a resident of Amravati, qualified for the World Para Swimming Championship after she brought home a silver at the IDM Berlin Para Swimming Championship in July this year.

However, she had a tough time in Berlin. She wasn’t provided funds by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), which was to sponsor her trip, and the accompanying officials did not give her money claiming their bank accounts were blocked.

Ours was a government sponsored tour. The SAI had given sponsorship money to the PCI (Paralympic Committee of India) and we had received letters assuring us that it was a fully sponsored tour. But the PCI later told us that they could not give us any money as their account was blocked. I had to take a loan of Rs 5 lakh and luckily I got it in one day.

Kanchanmala Pande to The Hindu

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As a result, she was forced to borrow money and was even fined for travelling without a ticket on public transport, as her coach had not given her a ticket even though it was his responsibility.

Pande attributes her win to her husband Vinod Dekhmukh’s support, along with her coaches and physio staff.

(With Inputs from The Times of India and The Hindu)

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