Shruti Kotwal (born 2 December 1991) is an Indian ice speed skater.[1][2] She is the country's first professional female ice skater.[2]

Shruti Kotwal
Personal information
NationalityIndian
Born2 December 1991 (1991-12-02) (age 33)
Pune, Maharashtra, India
Alma materFergusson College
Sport
CountryIndia
SportSpeed skating
Medal record
Women's short track speed skating
Representing  India
South Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2011 Dehradun and Auli 500 m
Gold medal – first place 2011 Dehradun and Auli 1000 m

Biography

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Kotwal was born and brought up in Pune, Maharashtra, India. When she was seven years old she began roller-skating and held national gold medals in the sport before changing to ice-skating.[3][4]

At the South Asia Championship in 2011 she secured gold medals in the categories of 500m, 1000m and 1500m. The following year, 2012, she received a scholarship from the International Skating Union, which enabled her to travel to Germany for speed skating training under Canadian skater Jeremy Wotherspoon.[2][4]

In 2017 she represented India at the Asian Winter Games. In 2014 she broke the national record she had previously set herself in the 500 metre speed skating event.[5]

She holds 5 gold medals from the Indian National Ice-Skating Championships and a bronze medal from the National Winter Games.

References

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  1. ^ "Shruti Kotwal (IND) - Competition results, statistics and records | Skaters | SpeedSkatingNews". www.speedskatingnews.info. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "In Conversation with Shruti Kotwal – Let's Be Outdoorsy". letsbeoutdoorsy.com. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  3. ^ Vishal, Kumar Vishal (29 January 2016). "Is Lack Of Funding Biggest Hurdle For India's Ace Speed Skater's Internationals' Dream?". thelogicalindian.com. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Conquering ice with a fiery spirit: Shruti Kotwal, India's fastest Ice Skater". Voice of Indian Sports - KreedOn. 17 October 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  5. ^ Team, DNA Web (17 November 2014). "Indian skater Shruti Kotwal beats own National record time, at Long Track Time Trials in Calgary". DNA India. Retrieved 13 July 2020.