Taxi driver’s daughter brings glory to India

Lakshita Shandilya, 18, first gained attention when she won two silver medals at the ISF World School Gymnasiad in France last year. By capturing the gold medal in the 1500 metres at the Asian Under-20 Athletics Championship in South Korea, the middle-distance runner demonstrated that she had advanced significantly in the world of athletics. Daughter of a taxi driver, Vinod, the Vadodara girl has battled financial constraints to keep her dream on track. Vinod's income hardly covers his expenses. It has been quite difficult for him to raise the money needed for his daughter's training.
“Athletics is expensive as Lakshita needs professional training, quality shoes and a good physio too. After witnessing her spectacular performances and the will to succeed, some NGOs have extended a helping hand. Even her coach Rippandeep Randhwana supported Lakshita a lot,” Vinod said. Lakshita thanked her coach, parents and all supporters after winning the Asian gold. “We are very proud of her. She had been practising hard for this tournament so we were confident that she would bring a medal,” Vinod told the media.
Lakshita confidently stepped off the starting line and trailed for a little period in second place before quickly catching up to the girl in front of her and sprinting through the finish line. She considers former athlete P T Usha as her idol. “I learnt a lot by just watching her videos. I dream of participating in the Olympics and winning a medal for my country,” she said.