Ahmedabad: A backstroke swimmer from Ahmedabad Maana Patel from Gujarat is going to be the first female backstroke swimmer from India and the third Indian swimmer to qualify for Tokyo Olympics.

The 21-year old Maana Patel based from Ahmedabad has qualified for 100-metre backstroke in the Tokyo Olympics to be held this year in Japan. Maana is qualified through University Quota through which one male and one female competitor are allowed participation. Other two swimmers qualified along with Maana for the Tokyo Olympics are Srihari Nataraj and Sajan Prakash.

Backstroke swimmer Maana Patel has become the 1st female and 3rd Indian swimmer to qualify for #Tokyo2020. I congratulate Maana, who qualified through Universality Quota. Well done!! pic.twitter.com/LBHup0F7RK

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) July 2, 2021

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju congratulated Maana for this achievement through a tweet. She was also congratulated by IAS Vijay Nehra by tweet.

In South Asian Games 2016, she won two gold medals, three silver medals and a bronze medal for various categories of swimming. She has won gold in 100 metre backstroke at the 60th National School Games in 2015. She was also selected for the Olympic Gold Quest in 2015. She is currently coached by Peter Carswell in Mumbai and she was previously coached by coach Kamlesh Nanavati in Ahmedabad.

Heartiest congratulations to Maana Patel for qualifying through Universality Quota for #Tokyo2020. Backstroke swimmer Maana Patel has become the 1st female and 3rd Indian swimmer to qualify for #Tokyo2020.

Best wishes…#Cheer4India pic.twitter.com/k5Hi9uoK3S

— Vijay Rupani (@vijayrupanibjp) July 2, 2021

ગુજરાતની આંતરરાષ્ટ્રીય સ્વિમર માના પટેલ ટોકિયો ખાતે યોજાનાર ઓલિમ્પિકના Universality Places માટે ક્વોલિફાય થવા બદલ ખૂબ ખૂબ અભિનંદન અને ઉજ્જ્વળ ભવિષ્યની શુભકામનાઓ પાઠવું છું. માના પટેલ ઓલિમ્પિકના Universality Places માટે ક્વોલિફાય થનારા પ્રથમ મહિલા અને ત્રીજા ભારતીય સ્વિમર છે. pic.twitter.com/I7M2MUuYSe

— Vijay Rupani (@vijayrupanibjp) July 2, 2021