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Maiden gold for senior Maharashtra women in national gymnastics c’ship
State team wins the medal in the senior event by scoring 203.30 points. In the junior category, Maharashtra stands top on the scoreboard with 197.72 points
It turned out to be a double delight for Maharashtra women’s team as they clinched a gold medal in the senior and junior category during the 57th senior and 55th junior artistic gymnastics national championship at Shiv Chhatrapati sports complex, gymnasium hall at Balewadi on Saturday.
For the first time, state team won the gold medal in the senior event with scoring 203.30 points while Railways earned the second place with 203.25 points. West Bengal settled for bronze with 202.25 points.
In the junior category, Maharashtra leads the scoreboard with 197.72 points with West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh settling for second and third place with the scores of 186.80 and 160.95 respectively.
Among the mens’, senior team won the bronze medal while the junior team earned silver.
Gold in men’s category was earned by Services (senior) and Uttar Pradesh (junior) respectively.
“When it comes to the team championship, Maharashtra is always done well. Till now we had earned many silver medals but this is the first time we got a gold medal in the senior category,” said Shraddha Talekar, senior category who won the silver medal with her overall score of 44.50.
Talekar age 25 was not selected in the Indian team for 2018 Commonwealth Games but she takes it as a lesson and aims to keep on improving.
“I could not perform well at the trails but I will keep improving on my game. The coaches advice is helping me lot at Krida Prabodhini,” added Talekar.
Talekar will also rise like Dipa Karmakar, says coach Yogesh Shirke
Yogesh Shirke, coach of Krida Prabodhini and Maharashtra men’s team was delighted with the way Shraddha Talekar performed in the ongoing championship.
Talekar who is attached with gymnastics from the age of four trains at Krida Prabodhini since last twelve years under coach Shirke and Pravin Dhage.
“Talekar is very hard working and he is always ready to practice hard and try new things. The way she is progressing, she will definitely be rising like Dipa Karmakar,” said Shirke.
Shirke also added, “If Maharashtra wants to perform better in the championships, then they should increase the level of difficulties while training. The harder we train, our gymnast will perform better at the international level.”
