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Indian para swimmer Suyash Jadhav shared his experience of receiving the Asian Para Games gold medal signed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Back in 2015, Suyash, who competes in the S7 Category, was the only Indian Para swimmer to achieve the 'A' qualifying mark for the 2016 Paralympics and make his way to Rio. Seven years down the line, in 2023 Suyash was the only Indian swimmer to win a medal at Hangzhou - Asian Para Games that took place in October 2023. Now a veteran in the sport, Suyash was the only swimmer who got to interact with the Honourable Prime Minister along with the other 110 Indian medallists. "I had first met Modi ji earlier back in 2018, post the Jakarta Asian Para Games, and then again post the Paralympics in 2021, I had met him and got photographs with him, but was not able to interact with him back then. That opportunity came this time and it was special as he interacted with me at the event and asked me about my training at SAI Bangalore and the fact that I am from Pune he also spoke to me about my father who got me into swimming and was also with me at the event this time," Suyash said. The event was only made sweeter by the fact that not only did PM Modi spend time talking with him, but later also signed the Bronze medal won by Suyash in Hangzhou, China. "After my conversation, he was talking to other medallists who were standing along with me at the time, one of them was Archer Sheetal who requested him to sign one of her medals and he obliged, I took the opportunity and requested him for the same, and he signed my medal as well. It was just spur of the moment, but I am happy I asked," Suyash added. Suyash picked up swimming at the young age of three after being encouraged by his father, who was a state-level swimmer himself. However, an unfortunate accident where Suyash lost both his palms and wrists due to electrocution. Two years after the accident the youngster's drive for Swimming brought him back to training and there was no turning back from there. In 2015 Jadhav won a silver and a bronze medal at the IWAS World Games in Sochi, Russia, and soon he became the first Indian Para swimmer to register the 'A' qualifying mark for the 2016 Paralympics in Rio. In 2018, at the Jakarta Asian Para Games, he won three medals, including a Gold in the 50m Butterfly and a Bronze each in the 200m Individual Medley and 50m Freestyle events. The feat of 2016 was repeated once again in 2021 when Suyash once again qualified for the Tokyo Paralympics and was one of the only two swimmers from India at the global event. (ANI)
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