R Subashree, a hearing and speech-impaired student from Villupuram, Tamil Nadu, has won gold at the International Asia-Pacific Deaf Athletics Championship.
Subashree, a Class XII student at BN Thoppe Municipal Higher Secondary School, has been dedicated to athletics since the age of eight.
"Despite her hearing and speech impairment, she trained rigorously and consistently to achieve excellence in track events for the past seven years," said her parents.
She qualified for the Indian Deaf Athletics team trials in Bengaluru in October 2023, clocking 13.77 seconds in the 100m and 1.16 seconds in the 400m events. This earned her a spot on the Indian team.
"Under the guidance of former Villupuram District Sports Officer Velmurugan and coaches Rajesh, Sophia, and Tamilarasu, I underwent rigorous training, practising for four hours daily," Subashree told The New Indian Express. She won gold in the 4x400m relay at the 10th Asia-Pacific Deaf Athletics Championship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on December 5-6, along with three other athletes from across the country.
The team also won silver in the 4x100m relay.
Subashree's school feted her with a procession, showering her with flowers and celebrating her victory with jubilant dances, according to the report by The New Indian Express.
"Despite numerous challenges," her mother, Poongodi, said, "she trained tirelessly and overcame every hurdle. Her international victory is a dream come true. We firmly believe she will represent India at the Olympics and bring home more laurels."
