Maharashtra Paralympic Swim Team finish 1st Runner Up at 12th National Championship

Maharashtra Paralympic Swim Team

In the recent 12th National Paralympic Swimming Championship held in Chennai from 6th to 9th December, 2012, Maharashtra Paralympic Swim Team have won 24 gold, 14 Silver, 18 bronze & 6 individual championships in various categories. With that count, they ended up runners-up in the event. They where recently sponsored by HPCL for the National Championship.

A total of 18 states participated and over 400 paralympic swimmers participated. The event was organized by Paralympic Swimming Association of Tamilnadu (PSATN) and the Paralympic Swimming Federation of India (PSFI) in collaboration with the Sports Development Authority of Tamilnadu (SDAT), under the Project ‘Ripples 2012’.

The event was inaugurated by Chennai Mayor Saidai S Duraisamy and V.K. Jeyakodi, Principal Secretary for Differently-abled; Velachery MLA M.K. Ashok, M. Vijaykumar, Secretary, TNPSC; Sebastian Xavier, Senior Sportsperson, Southern Railway and Olympic swimmer; Edwin Nevis, CEO, Scope International was part of the event.

West Bengal winning the State Championship

This year, for the first time ever, the PSATN of which Madhavi Latha is the General Secretary, successfully hosted the paralympic swimming event in Chennai. Timely help was extended by IIT-Madras, which provided accommodation and Scope International Pvt. Ltd. which extended volunteering support.

From a mere 4 member team representing Tamilnadu in 2011, there were 19 members in this edition of the Paralympics, with West Bengal having the largest contingent of paralympians (more than a 100), who were also crowned the State Champion.

Sharath Gayakwad ( First Indian swimmer to qualify for the Paralympics ) receiving the flag on behalf of Karnataka, for hosting the 13th National Paralympic Championship

The Paralympic Swimming Championship flag was handed over to Karnataka, where the 13th National Paralympic Swimming Championship will be held next year.