Now Reading: Ariha Pangambam wins India’s first Asian gold in aerobic gymnastics
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Ariha Pangambam wins India’s first Asian gold in aerobic gymnastics
Ariha Pangambam, 22, became the first Indian to win a senior women's individual gold medal at the Aerobic Gymnastics Asian Championships, held in Tagaytay City, Philippines. She scored 19.100 points, securing India's…
The Story in Brief
Ariha Pangambam, 22, became the first Indian to win a senior women's individual gold medal at the Aerobic Gymnastics Asian Championships, held in Tagaytay City, Philippines. She scored 19.100 points, securing India's first gold in the event. The Manipur athlete trained on a single proper wooden floor in Uttarakhand and relied on her parents' savings for international competitions, the Hindustan Times reports. After missing a medal in 2024, she told her parents she would win next time. "No one talks about us unless we win a medal," she said, highlighting the lack of recognition for niche sports.
The Indian Opinion
The story of Ariha Pangambam exposes a familiar Indian pattern: athletes from lesser-known sports get noticed only after a medal. The focus on cricket and a few Olympic disciplines leaves niche talents to rely on parents' savings and outdated equipment, as Ariha's 1999-floor training shows. For every athlete who breaks through, hundreds remain invisible. The question now is whether the Asian gold will push the government to build proper infrastructure for aerobic gymnastics, or if this will be another fleeting headline before the spotlight moves on.
Sources (2): timesnownews.com, hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
