THE WINTER DREAMS!!

Ice skater Swarali Deo has been performing impressively at the international level; now aims at the podium finish in the Winer Olympics Games 2026

- MILIND DHAMDHERE

Despite having geographically suitable areas for winter sports, India's participation in the Winter Olympic Games has been very negligible. Inadequate facilities, lack of maintenance and training and costly affair have affected the sport badly. Yet, there are few who choose to pick this less popular sport in the subcontinent and are performing impressively.

Pune's Swarali Deo is one of the flag bearers of winter sports in India. The 20-year-old has won two gold medals and several other galore at the international level. She is now aiming for a podium finish at the Winter Olympics to be held in Italy. If she manages to achieve this feat then she will be the first-ever Indian athlete to win a medal in the Winter Olympics.

From Roller Skates to Ice Skates

If the foundation of a career in sports is laid in childhood, then these players achieve great success in future. Swarali started participating in roller skating events when she was six. Since roller skating is not yet an Olympic sport, her coach Subodh Patil suggested that she should pursue a career in ice skating, which is a Winter Olympic event.

Though it is very difficult to make a career for a player who lives far away from ice mountains, Swarali's parents fully supported her in this decision.

She started practising ice skating in 2014 and in the next year, she achieved a gold medal in 500 m and a silver in 1 km speed skating during her debut national competition. This performance justified her decision to change the sport.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

→ Three Silver Medals in South East Asian Trophy) held in Singapore in 2023 Two Gold Medals in 3rd Winter Khelo India Games conducted from 10th to 14th Feb 2023 at Gulmarg, Kashmir

→ Gold Medal at the 18th National Ice Skating Championship, which was held in New Delhi in 2023.