Indian skier Aanchal Thakur in race against time to qualify for Beijing 2022 Winter Games

Aanchal Thakur has already cemented her name in the Indian winter sports history books.

In 2018, the Manali resident became the first Indian skier to win an international medal after clinching bronze in the slalom race category at Alpine Ejder 3200 Cup held in Turkey.

Aanchal Thakur, however, isn’t resting on her laurels and aiming for bigger and better things. The immediate goal for the 25-year-old is qualification to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

Coming off a long layoff due to COVID-19 and various other reasons, Aanchal Thakur knows reaching the goal won’t be easy.

“The last time I competed in a FIS (Federation Internationale de Ski) race was in 2018, where I got a medal. Since then, I haven’t been able to compete because of COVID-19 and travel restrictions. Lack of snowfall in Manali also meant we could only train for 2-3 weeks. I haven’t been able to do any technical training, it’s mostly been free skiing,” Aanchal Thakur told _Olympics.com. _

Aanchal Thakur did compete at the Khelo India Winter Games in March this year but understands that domestic success in India will count for little when she steps onto the international arena.

To give herself the best possible shot at qualification, Aanchal Thakur has moved to Austria to train.

“Time is at a premium now. I’ve only been able to put on my skis for the first time since March. Re-establishing the body’s connection with your gear takes a bit of time. We also have to start preparing for the qualification races for the Olympics.

“Most of the competitions are in Europe. So, I decided to come to Europe and train. In the initial few competitions, I need to gauge how much the COVID-19 gap has impacted my game but I am sure my performances will improve in the latter races. I will give it my all to qualify for the Beijing Winter Olympics,” Aanchal Thakur noted.

The move to Austria has brought about its own set of challenges. Aanchal’s initial plan was to stagger her training trips to Europe heading into Beijing 2022 to help spread out the costs. But due to COVID, she now needs a prolonged stay in Austria to maximise qualification chances.

To offset the issue, Aanchal Thakur, a 2012 Youth Winter Olympian, has started a crowdfunding campaign to help her finances.

“We’ve had good responses, but need a lot more. We’re still hoping sponsors and our country’s people will come forward to help us,” she said.

The odds certainly seem stacked against Aanchal Thakur, but she isn’t prepared to throw in the towel at any cost.

Aanchal’s elder brother Himanshu Thakur represented India at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and having seen her brother’s journey first-hand, Aanchal Thakur remains hopeful.

“My brother also practiced in Austria heading into the Sochi Games. I have seen him. It was a tough road to qualification. I remember it wasn’t happening for him despite participating in several qualification races. He was mentally and physically tired and almost gave up. We even came back to India. But our family pushed him to go back and try again.

“He took another shot in Turkey and qualified. That moment taught both of us never to give up. No matter how long the road is, you need to keep going. Success may be around any corner. You just can’t see it until the last moment,” she reminisced.

Himanshu is with Aanchal Thakur in Austria currently.

“My brother and I fight a lot at home but when we’re on the slope, he’s my guide and mentor. He is an Olympian skier, and his guidance is invaluable to me. I am glad he’s with me here,” Aanchal Thakur signed off.