Odisha cycling ace Swasti Singh feels heart-broken! Reason? Despite winning more than 30 National/All India and four international medals, she was not selected for the 19th Asian Games, which is now underway in Hangzhou, China. Extremely disappointed with the selection of the Indian cycling squad, she contemplates giving up the sport!
A trainee of SAI Centre of Excellence, New Delhi, Swasti won one gold and four silver medals in the Khelo India Women Cycling League (Track Event, East Zone), which was held at Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium in Ranchi (Jharkhand) on 20 and 21 September 2023. She won the gold in Women Elite 500m time trial and one silver each in keirin, 300m individual pursuit, 200m sprint and 7.5km scratch race. She also secured first position in the Omnium event of the recent Asian Games selection trials.
Rourkela cyclist Swasti has been in fine form this year. Earlier in the Khelo India Women Cycling League (Road Event, North Zone), held in Amritsar last week, she won one gold 40km mass start and one bronze in 20km individual time trial.
Swasti started the year on a sparkling note, winning the gold medal in the 90km event of the 27th National Road Cycling Championship, held in Shirdi, Maharashtra on January 9. She had also ended the year 2022 with flying colours, bagging one gold and one silver at the 74th National Track Cycling Championship in Guwahati, Assam.
Swasti was part of the Indian women’s team that claimed the bronze medal at the 41 st Senior Asian Track Cycling Championship in New Delhi last year. That was the fourth international medal for Swasti, who bagged one gold, one silver and one bronze in different international competitions.
“I have been training round the year and for years together to represent the country at the Asian Games. I have also been winning medals regularly at national and international level. But all my efforts and achievements could not give me an opportunity to compete at the Asian Games. I am extremely disheartened and see no point to carry on,’’ lamented Swasti.
Observers of Indian cycling also feel that Swasti deserved to be at the Asian Games. They also find discrepancy in the selection process. According to one observer, while no female was selected for the endurance event, one male cyclist was chosen for the Madison event even as he competed in Omnium, team and individual pursuit at the last Asian Championship in Malaysia.
But the observers do not see it as the end of the road for Swasti. “She is only 22 and has many years with her be at the Asian Games. She should take the setback as a challenge and work with greater zeal and determination.
According to a former international cyclist, Swasti needs to train abroad or under a foreign coach in India, in order to get the best results of her ability and efforts. She also needs more opportunities to compete at the international level. That, he feels, will be possible, only if the Government of Odisha provides necessary support.
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PHOTO: Swasti Singh receives the gold medal at the Khelo India Women Cycling League (Track Event, East Zone) in Ranchi on 20 September 2023.