Aishwarya Pissay, an off-roader racer, made headlines recently by becoming the first Indian to win the women’s category of the FIM World Cup after the final round of the championship in Hungary.
Pissay developed an interest in biking as a young girl when she went for road trips with her dad. She rode her first bike for the first time when she was a teenager. Her stint with long-distance rides and racing started after she participated in two reality shows, Chase the Monsoon and Bun Burner.
Her parents initially expressed their concern over Pissay’s career, eventually gave up after they saw her winning a lot of races. And today, this racer stands tall after finishing a long and tiring 590km of special stages and winning the world title.
Pissay started the Hungarian Baja with a seven-point lead. She had won the first round in Dubai and was placed third (Portugal), fifth (Spain) and fourth (Hungary) in the subsequent competitions. In the final standings for women, she finished with a tally of 65 points, which was just four points ahead of Portugal’s racer Rita Vieira.
In the junior category, she was placed second behind championship winner Tomas de Gavardo (60) of Chile.
In the year 2017, Aishwarya won the Indian Rally championship for girls and finished fourth in Raid de Himalaya on the Moto Xtreme category, she also met with an accident and fractured her collarbone in multiple places. She underwent a surgery in which doctors inserted a steel plate and seven screws in her collarbone.
Well, this trailblazer’s journey sure hasn’t been an easy one. But, the result, we have to say, is a big victory for her and we are so proud!
“It’s absolutely overwhelming. I am out of words. After what happened last year, my first international season, when I crashed in Spain Baja and suffered career-threatening injuries, to come out and win the championship, is a great feeling,” Aishwarya said in an interview with a leading daily.
“It was a tough phase of my life, but I believed in myself and was determined to get back on the bike which I did after nearly six months. So, winning the World Cup is huge for me and I will look to better my performance having gained this experience,” she added.
Way to go, Aishwarya. We are proud of you!
Featured Image: Instagram
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