National Games gold medal and selection in Indian team is ‘Icing on the Cake’ for Skater Sanchit Bhandari

Khel Today Bureau

New Delhi: Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh wanted to become a great Skater, but his father, a former Test cricketer, Yograj Singh thought that his son wasting his time on a sport that has no future. He threw away medals won by Yuvraj Singh in the Skating championship and warned him not to do Skating again. Yuvraj never looked at his stakes and Skating’s loss became big gain for cricket and what Yuvraj achieved in the field of cricket is a great history that everyone knows.

Here is a story of a upcoming Skater Sanchit Bhandari, who is making waves in the National level Skating competitions and qualified for the INDIAN TEAM for the World Skate Games 2022 also…

I started my Journey of skating, started without any specific thoughts in mind, I started skating at the age of seven, during the school days of Ryan International School, Noida. Having participated in various school games and  started winning these events in a short while. Practice field was home streets only. Continued winning more events in speed skating. Inter and Intra school event, thinking that this would be the pinnacle stage of skating.

The Struggler :

Subsequently came to know about CBSE events and RSFI events as well, at this point of time joined formal playground at Noida Stadium under the coach Shri Rajesh Shaily and Shri Rajeev Kumar – Roller Skating Association. On day one though I would be treated as champion since I have won many School level Medals, however this was not the case. I was at the last for every race carried out during practice sessions, and to the extent was not able to complete many of the races at that time. In such despair situation lot of hard work was required and onto the contrary dejection and failures pressure was increasing day by day, clear indication was …this much efforts will not do, started preparing more of each practice day. Each practice day was learning for me to sweat out more. Spree of many failures and injury continued.

The Competitor :

Day by day with the passage of time, entire pressure and dejections got converted into self-confidence thus having set new goals to defeat best boy at the rink during these days.  Self Confidence and determination had replaced pressure & failure in short span of time. Have achieved this land mark by ensuring that I am the best in 300 meter Time Trials, This was the time while I was well placed as good competitor, and other need to watch out, any event.

And had won many district & state level events conducted by RSFI & CBSE-Zonals, and subsequently state champion for many years.

The Quench :

However all above was not sufficient and the quench to gain more continued, recognizing bigger platforms demand more, continued sweating out more over the period of time in a disciplined way , to go beyond state champion, Subsequently during the year I got my First CBSE National – Bronze medal in 300 meter Time Trial.

The Platform :

Having crossed  the CBSE education, the new platform through RSFI was available which was a larger platform to perform, At this point of time new challenge started coming in-between studies and skating as how to maintain balance between both, since at that point of time passion to excel was on top of the mind all the time.

The Turning point :

At this point of time I decided to stay with skating however had converted my game from speed skating to Inline freestyle- Speed Slalom, and this game was also conducted by RSFI at all levels.

Again the odds continue to hover me all around, and this was not an easy ball game as seems to be to many, however the determination to excel was always keeping me on tries to do better all the times.

On Ground cones were not favouring me at all they were dancing like anything…. I used to keep on staring at them and visa versa, till they become my best friend, now they are keep sufficiently calm enough during my races make me a winner out of that.

v  Converted my game from speed skating to inline freestyle skating due to the unavailability of the speed skating track as per the international standards.

v  Struggled with the body posture over the cones for about 3 ½ – 4 years .

v  Had to practice alone during the pandemic as all the stadiums and grounds were shut down.

v  Handled the pressure of game with my experience and believing within myself.

v  Recently, qualified for the INDIAN TEAM for the World Skate Games 2022

v  Rsfi national 2021 – 2nd position at Mohali Dec 2021

v  India skate national event – 1st position at Mohali Apr 2022

v  National Games 2022 – 1st position at Ahmedabad oct 2022

The Arena :

The stage was set once again to showcase my capabilities, this time the event was National Games, Gujarat 2022. The opening of the Games was done by our Prime Minister Sh. Narender Modi at Ahmedabad. Being a part to such a prestigious games, I was thrilled and desperately waiting for The Day
Now having everything with me, stopped thinking about anything else other than my performance , and its …… GOLD

The Moment will cherish and remember all the times is the moment of winning this Gold Medal at National Games at Gujarat. These 4.58 Seconds tells importance & the story of each milli micro second.

The Back Bone :

The all above events occur at the front screen, however at the back end its RSFI and my state Association UPRSA which stood rock solid behind me to support at each step, and each member of the association is available much before we think of, and are  a click away available to support and make sports flourish. each member of association working relentlessly through days and nights to make the events successful, and bring Glory.