Panaji, Nov 5 – In a display of sheer determination, 21-year-old Mansi Mohite from Maharashtra overcame the challenges posed by a jellyfish bite, enduring leg numbness during the swimming leg, to clinch the gold medal in the women’s triathlon at the 37th National Games held at Miramar beach on Sunday.
Mohite secured a 1-2 finish for Maharashtra with a remarkable aggregate time of 1:14.06s, while her teammate Sanjana Joshi claimed the silver. The victory was even more noteworthy as last edition’s gold medallist, Pragyna Mohan of Gujarat, was disqualified for seeking external assistance to repair her broken cycle pedal.
This marked Mohite’s fourth gold medal at the National Games, following her success in Modern Pentathlon, where she secured a hat-trick of medals in Biathle women, Biathle team, and Biathle mixed relay the previous week.
Speaking about her challenging victory, Mohite shared, “This gold is special for me since I finished second last time and had worked hard for the last 12 months with the aim of changing the color of my medal.” She revealed that the jellyfish bit her during the swimming leg, causing numbness by the time she transitioned to the cycling leg. Despite the adversity, Mohite pushed herself to complete the race.
Mohite, who had covered her body with protective oil against jellyfish, left her ankle exposed due to a prior injury during the Modern Pentathlon. Her struggles became apparent as she reached the Miramar beach road to conclude the race, collapsing after a valiant effort.
Acknowledging her mother’s pivotal role, Mohite shared, “My mother has been my biggest supporter and she figured out that I was struggling. So, she started running with me on the sidelines and cheered me on.”
Initially a swimmer and water polo player, Mohite’s journey to triathlon began when coach Balaji Kendre recognized her stamina and encouraged her to explore the multisport discipline. Mohite, who initially wanted to join the football team, eventually found success in triathlon, expressing happiness over the switch.
Following a brief hospitalization for observation, Mohite, who trains at the State Government’s Kreeda Prabodhini in Pune, is eyeing a day of rest before aiming to cap off her National Games campaign with success in the mixed relay.
