After 22 stitches, Chennai skater speeds to bronze

CHENNAI: The Asian Games have been blissful for India thus far, with medals raining in almost every day. On that note, Chennai’s very own Aarathy Kasturiraj made headlines on Monday morning when she won a bronze medal in the speed Skating 3000m relay race.

Speaking to DT Next over the phone from Hangzhou, she expressed immense happiness in finally being able to secure an Asian Games medal. “I’ve been roller skating for 22 years now, and this serves as motivation to strive for more,” she added.

Aarathy is both a national and international champion, having won over 100 medals. Previously, she was also ranked fifth.

Her journey to the Asian Games hasn’t been easy. She recalls May 26, when she was sprinting during a practice session, and a little kid came in between, which resulted in her crashing into the railings. This incident resulted in a serious accident, and she had to undergo 22 stitches and a short period of medical treatment to recover.

“I had my final trials coming up, and I was quite anxious. Almost 23 days after the accident, I was finally able to do light workouts, such as stationary biking at the gym,” she said.

When asked about when she resumed skating after that horrific accident, she replied, “Injuries are a part of sports; I resumed skating just 8 days after the final stitches were removed.”

A doctor who is also renowned for her achievements on the roller rink, Aarathy often encounters a common question from everyone she meets: “How do you manage being a doctor and a sportsperson representing the nation, as both are equally important?”

She cheerfully responds, “I’d be lying if I said I’ve had more good days than bad ones.”

She goes on to credit her family for their unwavering support throughout her journey. She particularly acknowledges her sister, who holds her hand and reassures her with the words, “We’ll get through this.” Aarathy also expresses gratitude to her alma mater for the consistent support they provided in shaping her career.

I always believed that “If I needed to skate, I needed to study well, as both are equally important. MBBS was hard but skating was also something I never wanted to give up, I persuaded both with the fullest of passion,” she adds.

Aarathy finished fifth in the speed skating 1000m elimination race. Discussing her performance, she said, “We honestly had just two days to get adjusted here and train. Competing against the Taiwanese and Koreans all alone was a bit challenging. I gave my everything, but things didn’t go the way I expected,” she added.

“My dad’s support has been unconditional, he travels with me to competitions and is always around,” she said.

Roller Skating isn’t an Olympic sports event, but Aarathy says that this Asian medal will undoubtedly serve as a boost for people considering the sport. She believes that the Asian Games is an event of equal significance to the Olympics.

Aarathy and her team’s achievement on Monday is a record in itself, as these were also India’s first medals in roller skating at the continental showpiece since Guangzhou 2010. She says, “It feels so surreal; it hasn’t completely sunk in yet.”

Aarathy will be returning to India in the coming days, and after a few days of rest, she looks forward to her next challenge, which awaits her at The Asian Championships starting on October 20. She says that she has to take the positives from here, and she hopes to fulfil her dream of winning an individual event at the Championships.