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Being afflicted with Down’s Syndrome did not depress Dinal Jain’s stout determination and dare to dream. In fact, it made her doubly resolute in her quest to strike gold. And true to her form, the 19-year-old braveheart swam her way to the coveted gold medal in the 25 metres butterfly swimming event on Thursday.

Not just that. Proving herself the queen of the pool, this paralympics competitor, participating at the 2013 Asia Pacific Paralympic Games in Australia, also stroked herself to the fourth spot in the 50 metres event as well.

No wonder then that Dinal Jain, even as she emplaned to set the pool afire Down Under had told her mama: Mom, be ready with a nice shawl for me. For, I am going to come back with a gold medal. Such was her confidence and resilience that Dinal Jain traveled alone to Newcastle, in Australia, where the competitions were held.

Effusively joyful at his daughter’s feat, an emotional Vikranth Jain, resident of Basaveshwarnagar, said “I am proud of my daughter. I can speak endlessly about her.” Dinal, he said, would practice at Vijaynagar Corporation Swimming Pool. While she practised for three hours regularly, as the date for competition came closer, she ramped up her preparations to around five hours.

Dinal was selected through a camp conducted by Special Olympic Bharat which is the governing body for the event. Camps were conducted in Chennai and Hyderabad from where the 19-year-old was picked.   

“She has given her life for it,” her father, soaking in the success of his daughter, said. The hard working youngster had to wake up at 5 am in the morning and practise for two hours. She would again practise in the evening, he went on describing as to how Dinal prepared herself for the competition.

Dinal studies in Sambhav School, meant for specially-abled. She has cleared English, Computer Science and Social Science exams from National Open Institute of Schooling.

Dinal has also won other events at national level. Her father said she had bagged two silvers in 50 metres forward and backward stroke competitions at national level as well.
“I want my daughter to be independent. I do not want her to depend on anyone even financially,” he explained.

“I have opened a greeting card shop for her. I am sure my girl can manage it all by herself,” he said. Her father also said it was an extremely proud moment for the child’s mother Meena Jain and added that her coach Balu would be more than happy to know about this.