Triple national champion Jagathishree to make international debut at FIM Asia Women’s Cup

Chennai, Sep 8 (PTI) Triple national champion Jagathishree Kumaresan will make her international debut when she represents India at the FIM Asia Women’s Cup of Circuit Racing (ACCR) in Thailand from September 12 to 14.

The 21-year-old from Chennai, fresh from a triple victory at the Madras International Circuit last weekend, was named by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) to compete at the Thailand Circuit, Nakhonchaisi.

Her stellar performance in round three of the national championship saw her achieve a remarkable triple crown, winning both races in the Girls 165cc National Championship and the TVS one-make race.

Jagathishree’s journey began when she saw some bikes racing on the ECR road, and forced her father to take a look. It led to her training alongside boys on bigger bikes under coach Mohamed Hanif at One Racing team.

She announced her arrival by finishing on the podium in her very first Rookies class race in round one of 2020.

In 2021, she raced with boys in the TVS Rookies championship and became the first girl to get a podium, and stayed in the mid-pack. But later in 2022, she took a sabbatical to focus on her class 12 exams.

In 2023, she captured her first national title with an all-win record in the MMSC FMSCI Indian National Drag Racing Championship. She defended that title in 2024 after winning the national racing title in ladies’ class.

Despite competing with a serious right ankle injury that required surgery, she added the coveted MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2024 title to her name. She then won the drag Nationals 2024 for her third national title.

“We treated her the same way as any other rider. But down the line, certain attributes revealed her huge potential. I trusted my instincts to put her on a faster track. The results are there for everyone to see now," said Hanif in a release.

An archaeology graduate from Madras Christian College, Jagathishree now hopes to clinch a podium in Thailand as she begins her pursuit of a long-term goal — a spot in the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship (WorldWCR). PTI ATK DDV