Swapnali to participate in Asian triathlon

Young long distance swimmer Swapnali Yadav will take part in the Asian Cup International Triathlon to be held at Subic Bay, Philippines on May 5 and 6.

The 13-year-old Mumbai school girl has been selected to participate in the sub-juniors event featuring 300m swimming, 10km cycling and 3km running by the Indian Triathlon Federation.

Swapnali is the only Indian participant in the championship, which is recognized by the International Triathlon Union and Asian Triathlon Confederation, and organised by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines.

A product of Bombay Cambridge School, Andheri, Swapnali has trained for swimming under coaches Satish Solanki and Sandip Newalkar, cycling under Rajendra Soni and running under coach Ravi Bagdi.

"Triathlon is hard and tough and needs stamina to endure. This is a prestigious competition and I have been training very hard. The Asian championship is a different level altogether and we cannot afford to be complacent. I have to give it my best shot," said Swapnali.

"I have done well at the national and state levels but this will be a new and refreshing experience," she added.

Over the last three years Swapnali has won the state under-18 aquathon and triathlon gold and in November last year she added another gold in aquathon and silver in triathlon at the nationals in Raipur.

In addition, Swapnali won silver at the national level and gold at the state level in road race cycling and finished fourth in this year's 10-km Open DNA Woman Marathon.

In the last six years, she also participated in many long distance swimming competitions in countries like Greece, Bermuda, USA, Australia and Fiji.

Her father Gopal, who will accompany her to the Philippines, said his daughter has received financial support from Maharashtra's Sports Minister Padmakar Valvi.