Nepalese swimmer Alex Shah has said that he is happy to improve his own national record in the Paris Olympics.
Alex set a new national record in men’s 100m freestyle at Paris La Défense Arena in 51.91 seconds. He has improved the record of 52.17 seconds that he had previously set in the World Championship in Doha, Qatar.
I am happy to improve the record. It’s good for me too’, Alex said, ‘I wanted to go sooner but it’s also good and I’m happy.’
Alex said that he is being trained by a new coach this year and is helping him very well.
Alex competed in the third heat in the 100m freestyle. Even though Alex was in third place among 8 players, he could not reach the previous stage.
Out of a total of 79 players participating in this event, Alex is ranked 59th overall. 16 players who got the best timing in the heat entered the semi-finals.
Alex, the brother of famous Nepalese swimmer Sofia, is also the national record holder in 50m freestyle with 23.79 seconds.
This is Alex’s second Olympics. He made his Olympic debut in Tokyo 2020 held in Japan in 2021. Where he carried the national flag of Nepal in the march pass of the opening ceremony along with swimmer Gaurika Singh.
Alex is the third athlete from Nepal to play two consecutive Olympics in swimming. Earlier, famous Jang Shah participated in 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics and Gaurika Singh participated in 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Vaikunth Manandhar, a marathon runner from Nepal, has participated in the Olympics 4 times. He played four consecutive Olympics between 1972 and 1984.
Alex made his ‘debut’ in international competition at the 2019 World Swimming Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. Where he competed in 50 and 100 meter freestyle.
Alex, who lives in New York, America, reached Paris after preparing for the Paris Olympics in America. Alex informed that now he will go to New York.
21-year-old Alex, who is studying psychology at Fordham University in New York, is also interested in football, painting and photography. Alex, who has participated in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, has the experience of playing in 3 world championships.
Alex said now that the 14th Saag, Asian Indoor Games are coming up, he will focus on that. What will happen in the future? The 14th Saag Asian Indoor Games is coming up. There is one more year left in college. I am improving. I am happy about that’, he said.
After improving the record, Alex thanked his family, coaches, swimming family and all stakeholders who supported him.
The challenge of 5 athletes including Alex in the Paris Olympics has ended. Now only the final stage matches of Badminton Prince’s group and Santoshi Shrestha’s marathon competition in athletics are left. Santoshi went to Paris on Tuesday.
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