Gymnastics Australia has just announced that Indian-Australian athlete Vedant Sawant from Queensland has been selected for the Artistic World Cups – Cottbus, Doha and Baku.
In 2021, Vedant was in a position to be an all-around national champion at the coming Australian Gymnastics Championships. However, on 10th March 2021, Vedant’s feet hit the Horizontal bar while he was individually performing a double layout dismount. Soon, his right foot swelled up and there was concern it could have been broken.
The specialist said that Vedant would have to undergo surgery where bone from his pelvis will be taken and placed into the navicular and held by a screw.
Vedant was still persistent to compete at the upcoming National Championships and convinced the specialist to allow for just 1 singular landing on the day of comp on the Pommel Horse.
At nationals, Vedant won the Pommel Horse scoring 13.850 on Day 1. And winning by 1.950 and scoring 13.8 on Day 2. Winning by 1 full mark. He also placed third on Rings scoring 11.8 without a dismount.
Vedant then had surgery on the 27th of May 2021. He told The Australia Today:
“The hardest thing was the first 47 days after my second surgery on my foot. Because of the bone infection, I had to have a bottle of antibiotics going into my arm for that period of time for which I was made to just stay in bed.”
Vedant says his long-term goal is to achieve the highest level in gymnastics. He adds:
“I want to produce the highest level of gymnastics I can possibly produce. That goal is never ending and that is the beauty of it … because no matter how good I get I can always be better. Which means I always get to keep working. And I enjoy that work.”
Listen to Vedant Sawant’s exclusive conversation with Dr Amit Sarwal about his inspiring journey in Australian gymnastics.
