Parul university student wins gold medal in the recently held powerlifting Nationals

India's historic medal tally at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics has established the fact that investing in sporting development and training of young talented youth can go a long way in putting our great nation on the map.

Parul University's Harshil Patel is one such talented and deserving young athlete who has made a name for himself, the University and the State of Gujarat, brought lurels at the recently held TAFTYGAS Open National Championship 2021.

21 year old Harshil Patel, a student of the Faculty of Agriculture at Parul University, made a groundbreaking performance which won him the Gold medal at TAFTYGAS Open National Championship 2021 held in Nadiad. National level competitions for games like Powerlifting, Weightlifting, Athletics, Basketball, Football, Volleyball, Judo, among others were organised under the National sporting programs 'Khelo India' and 'Fit India' by The Association for Traditional Youth Games and Sports (TAFTYGAS).

The National Championship saw about 150 Powerlifters from across the country participating in various weight categories, wherein Harshil Patel competed in the 60-66kg(Senior) and powerlifted 180 kg Deadlift, 140 kg in squats and 100 kg Bench to bag the winning medal. This win has resulted in Harshil qualifying for the next Asian Games.

Apart from his impressive win at the TAFTYGAS Nationals, Harshil has also won numerous District and State level championships, including a Silver in Powerlifting at the National Games organized in Bangalore during the month of February 2021.

On being asked about his preparation Harshil Patel commented "I started Gym with a motive to lose weight and stay fit, but I fell in love with Powerlifting along the way. This result has only been possible because of persistent hard work of 2 years with intense physical training and strict diet, all the while managing my studies in the field of Agriculture at Parul University. It was tough juggling all these, but with complete support from my professors and the University management, who provided me all the necessary guidance, every step of the way, I could achieve this incredible feat. Moreover, the state of the art gymnasium facility right in the middle of the campus, ensured that I could sneak in quick training and workout sessions when I had the time for it."

In regards to his future exploits, this National Champion has paved a way for Harshil to excel further in the coming National Games which are to be held in December and prepare for the Asian Games which are to follow upon his success. Despite his noteworthy achievements in Sports, Harshil has expressed his commitment to education and upon graduating with a B.Sc in Agriculture next year, he wishes to pursue a career as an Agricultural officer.