Maana Patel creates history, becomes India's first female swimmer to qualify for Tokyo Olympics

Indians are making sure to make a name for themselves wherever they go and Maana Patel is no exception. The swimmer on Friday became the first female and only the third swimmer from the country to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics 2021. 

Patel, a backstroke swimmer from Ahmedabad, joins Srihari Nataraj and Sajan Prakash for the event and secured a direct entry. 

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju took to Twitter and wrote, "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!!".

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

The 21-year-old is a decorated athlete and has won gold medals in 50 backstroke and 200 metre backstroke and also at the National Games. 

She also clinched gold in 100 metre backstroke at the 60th National School Games (2015) breaking the national record in backstroke.

It was in 2015, that Patel was selected for the Olympic Gold Quest. This event had marked the first time a swimmer was roped in. 

Three years later in 2018, Patel secured three gold medals at the 72nd Senior National Aquatic Championships, and at the Senior Nationals in Thiruvananthapuram in 2018, Patel grabbed all the medals at the backstroke events.