Roller Sports
India's fastest skater Khushboo Saini dies of covid-19
Khushboo Saini, who was widely regarded as the fastest Indian skater during her playing days, has succumbed to the deadly covid-19, aged just 35 years.
Khushboo Saini
Khushboo Saini, who was widely regarded as the fastest Indian skater during her playing days, has succumbed to the deadly covid-19, aged just 35 years.
Saini was tested positive for the virus during the last week of April and also gave birth to her second child during that time. She was in the hospital since then and was supported by a ventilator since mid-May before losing her battle to the coronavirus on the night of 4th June 2021, read a report in Pixstory by veteran journalist Saurabh Duggal.
Nicknamed 'The girl on flying Wheels' for her jaw-dropping speed on roller skates, Khushboo won the bronze medal at Asian Roller Skating Championships in the year 2001 when she was just 15-years-old.
Khushboo took up skating as a 9-year-old in the year 1996 and competed in her first Nationals later the same year, albeit without any medals. She improved her performance and returned with three bronze medals in the year 1997, before clinching three silver medals and two bronze in 1998.
She was drafted in to represent India for the first time the following year and was dubbed as the fastest skater of India by the year 2000. Besides being one of the best skaters produced by India, Khushboo Saini is also widely credited for popularising the largely unknown sport of skating in India.
