Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Riya Jain, recipient of Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, won a gold medal at the state-level skateboarding championship organised by Madhya Pradesh Roller Skating Federation in Panna on November 5.
After winning gold medal, she was selected for 60th National Roller-Skating Championships 2022 to be held in Bengaluru from December 11 to 22.
While talking to Free Press, Riya Jain said, "I developed interest in skateboarding after watching it at Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020. I started skateboarding in April 2022. But at that time, I was not consistent. In August and September, I started practising more. I am the first girl from Bhopal to win a medal in skateboarding."
‘I learnt on my own’
"After watching the sport in Tokyo Olympics, I got inclined towards it. I started searching for coaching facility but could not find any. Then, I ordered a skateboard online and started practising at home. The real problem was that there were no skateboarding parks," Riya Jain said.
She added, "I started skateboarding on Atal Path in Bhopal. I took professional training. I am sure I’ll get to learn new things in national championship as well. We have planned to go there a few days before so that we can practise there as well."
Riya Jain is recipient of Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar. President presented the award to her in 2020 in the field of art and culture.
