Nagpur: First Indian woman to win a gold in the World Para-Swimming Championship, Nagpur’s visually impaired swimmer Kanchanmala Pande has made India proud by acing a gold medal in the 200 meters medley event in the S-11 category.
Hailing from Amravati 26-year-old Kanchanmala is a regular swimmer at Nagpur’s Aqua Sports Club. She took her training under the guidance of NIS coach Pravin Lamkhade, ASCA Level -1 Coach Vishal Chandurkar and assistant coach Shashikant Chande.
She works with Reserve Bank of India (RBI), was indeed expecting a medal at Mexico but luckily won a gold medal.
She said, “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 championship is surprising. I am really very happy. At the same time, I don’t know how to express it in words.”
She is so far the only Indian swimmer that qualified in the women’s category. She was selected by the Indian squad after her excellent performance at the IDM Berlin Para-Swimming Championship held in July at Berlin, Germany.
Recalling Berlin event, she said that no help came from the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) and that she was forced to borrow money and was also fined for traveling without a ticket on a public transport.
Luckily her efforts paid off and she went ahead to win a silver medal in the 200m individual medley in Berlin. She had successfully qualified for the World Championships in Mexico after she scored in 100m Freestyle (1:34:00), 100m Backstroke (1:41:00), 100m Breaststroke (2:01:00) and a silver 200m Individual Medley (3:03:00) against top para-athletes in Berlin.
The swimmer proudly thanks her Husband for his undying support towards her and RBI, Nagpur; Sport Ministry of India, Sports Authority of India (SAI), Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), GoSports and others as well.
Renowned physician Dr. PK Deshpande, fitness trainer Sachin Deshmukh & physiotherapist Dr. Kevin Agrawal altogether had worked on Kanchanmala’s health & Fitness before she went ahead for the world Championship reports Times of India.