Bangalore: 'Team Speedo' India, that launched in April this year, have expanded their team to include talented swimmer Suyash Jadhav, a double amputee and the first Indian para-swimmer to qualify for the 2016 Rio Paralympics having met the 'A' qualification in 50 Metres Butterfly (S7 category). He joins the likes of South Asian Games gold medallist Damini Gowda and Junior World Champion Niranjan Mukundan. The 22-year-old, Suyash's most notable recent performance was the three silver medals haul at the 2016 German Swimming Championships.
Commenting on his inclusion in Team Speedo India, an elated Suyash said "I am delighted to be associated with Speedo, one of the leading swimwear brands internationally. In addition to financial support, having access to Speedo's best suits and technologies will only help enhance my performances further. I cannot wait to try them out in the upcoming competitions, including the 2016 Paralympics in Rio."
Making his way ably through the state and national championships, it was when he reached the international stage that people took notice. With a brilliant showing at the 2015 Winter Open Polish Championship winning a gold, silver and two bronze medals and a gold and bronze medal finish at the 2015 IWAS World Games in Sochi, Russia, Suyash has surely worked towards achieving his life-long dream of winning medals for India.
Having spent an early part of his life in Maharashtra, a tragic electrocution while he was in the sixth grade, had him lose him both his arms. With a keen interest in swimming due to the strong influence of his father who was also a national-level swimmer, his misfortune did not deter the young man and he worked hard to compete in differently-abled competitions to accomplish a long-standing aim of his - representing India on the international stage.
"Team Speedo India is part of an elite group of athletes globally who always aspire towards excellence. We are delighted to welcome Suyash, to this very exclusive group of swimmers, and believe that he will fit right in. We hope that the support we extend to him will enable him to deliver his best performance, while in Brazil," concluded Shamir Genomal, Chief Strategy Officer, Speedo India, while welcoming this young Paralympic hopeful to the team.
