Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (AM)

Mangaluru, Jan 9: Two skaters have brought laurels to the city by clinching gold medals at the XIII National Ice Skating Championships held in Shimla and Delhi from January 3 to 6.

Niranjan Rajeev and Ashel D'Silva bagged national gold medals in the under-15 boys and under-13 girls categories respectively. The duo has also been selected for the Indian national team and would be sent abroad to receive advanced Olympic training.

Ashel D'Silva and Niranjan Rajeev 

Avani S Kumar and Shravan Mahesh

Niranjan, son of Rajeev Gopalakrishnan and Nisha Panicker of Mangaluru, is a class 8 student of Lourdes Central School in the city. Ashel is studying in Class 7 at Cambridge School, Mangaluru and is the daughter of Alwyn D'Silva and Asha D'Silva of Mangaluru.

Niranjan and Ashel are presently trained by Avadhut Tawade, Indian national coach for short track ice skating.

Ashel's brother Ashwin D’Silva is also a national short track ice skater and would be representing India at the World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships to be held at Austria towards the end of this month.

Besides, Avani S Kumar and Shravan Mahesh, who train at Mahesh Roller Skating Club, have won the gold and silver medals in the XIII National Ice Speed Skating Championship held at Gurugram in Harayana organized by the Ice Skating Association of India. Avani also won a trophy.