Khelo India: Mumbai Girl Clinches Gold Without Training Or Coach

Madhura Waykar, a cyclist hailing from Maharashtra, went on to grab a gold medal in the U21 Girls Time Trial, at the Khelo India Youth Games 2020 reports Republic World. Madhura left no stones unturned to prove her mettle.

Residing at Shivaji Park, she consulted her coach, Kerman Framna who lives in Pune. The coach suggested early morning practices to the 20-year-old. She had to abide by a tough schedule to avoid the Mumbai traffic. Furthermore, the absence of velodrome, an arena for track cycling, complicated the conditions.

The Khelo India Youth Games aim to showcase the talent of young Indians at a global level.

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 Becoming of a Star Cyclist

Madhura's mother revealed that she had a knack for sports since childhood. From swimming to triathlons, she juggled various sports but finally decided to stick with cycling. Her mother, after the win, told the Khelo India reporters that she has been on the tracks since she was eleven. Waykar was part of the Junior Asian Track Cycling Championship in 2017 and won the national titles in 2016 and 2017. She finished third in her first time in the Senior category at the 2019 Nationals in the Time Trial.

Madhura is a BA English literature student. Mridula, her mother wishes her child could manage to give more precedence to academics.“She is a really good student” Mridula says, “And I like her cycling, I do, but sometimes I also wish she kept up with her studies more”.

If things go the way I like them, if I wake up on time, my bike check goes smoothly, I’m well hydrated, then I get this feeling inside me. I know I will win. All I have to do is ride.

Her father did not attend the event in Guwahati, and he was the first one she called after the win. Both parents acknowledge the sacrifices they've made to fulfill the dreams of their daughter. Cycling requires a lot of investment in terms of equipment.

Waykar is aware of what her parents had to give up for her career and aims to pay them back in gold whenever she gets on the track. “If things go the way I like them, if I wake up on time, my bike check goes smoothly, I’m well hydrated, then I get this feeling inside me. I know I will win. All I have to do is ride”, said the confident cyclist.

The Khelo India Youth Games

Khelo India is a national level multidisciplinary grassroots tournament held in two categories, U17 school students and U21 college students. It aims to showcase the talent of young Indians at a global level. The games are being held in Guwahati, Assam this year. Athletes are invited to participate across sixteen disciplines, namely, Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Football, Gymnastics, Hockey, Judo, Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Shooting, Swimming, Volleyball, Weightlifting, and Wrestling.

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Saavriti is an intern with SheThePeople.TV