Coimbatore students bag eight gold medals at national cycling championship

Coimbatore: Five students from the district have bagged eight gold and four silver medals at the 76th senior and sub-junior National Track Cycling Championship held in Chennai from Nov 15 to 19. Deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has congratulated all the winners.

S Thabitha, a Class XII student of govt higher secondary school at Mettupalayam secured two gold medals - one for team sprint and the other for time trial – at the event. Expressing her gratitude to the state govt for sponsoring a track cycle worth Rs14 lakh, she said, "I started cycling at the age of 11. Seeing my performance, one of my trainers wanted me to pursue it on a greater platform. My first national achievement was in 2022 at an event held in Assam. Since then, I've been consistently winning medals at the national level. Now, I am undergoing training in Delhi for international events."

College student Dhanyadha Suresh Kumar, who won two gold and as many silver medals at the event, has previously represented India at the Youth Commonwealth and Junior World Championship. She has won more than 20 national medals.

Remaining three winners from the district are Pooja Swetha, a college student who won two gold and a silver medals; Karthiyayini, a school student who won a gold medal, and college student Hassini, who also secured a gold medal.