After making Thane proud by being a part of the Indian contingent at the World Biathalon championship, eight-year-old Savar Akuskar brought more laurels after winning a bronze at the competition in Georgia, US, on Sunday.

“She is probably the first Indian woman after Sania Mirza to win in a world championship,” claimed Manoj Kamble, secretary of Starfish Swimming Welfare Association, Thane.

Her coach for the past two years, Kailash Akhade, said it was a deserved victory. He has been training her at the Marotrav Taran Talav in Thane. “I was 100% confident that she would win. She is focused and dedicated with a positive attitude, which speaks of her potential,” he added.

In a biathlon championship, the participants have to run for 2km and then swim for 500 meters and then again run for 2km. “Savar swims like a champ, we knew she could make it in this world championship,” Akhade said.

The little one has been swimming 10km daily for three hours under her coach’s guidance. “We are sure that she can represent India in the 2024 Olympics; we will gear her up for that,” he said.

On September 16, Akuskar, a student of DAV High School, Tulshidham, Mayank Chafekar (16) from St Lawrence High School, and Kaustubh Malbari (16) from DN Bandodkar High School — all from Thane — left to participate in the championship. The competition was held on September 20 and 21, with 850 swimmers from across the world participating.

The trio belongs to the Starfish Swimming Welfare Association, an organisation of swimmers’ parents from Thane started in 2007.

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-thane-girl-bags-bronze-at-biathalon-championship-in-us-2127449