BY SUDHAKAR SHANBHAG | NT

PANAJI: Dempo Goodwill Brand Ambassador and ace international swimmer, Talasha Satish Prabhu made history on Saturday as she became the first Goan to make it to the official aquatics team list of the Commonwealth Games 2010 to be held at New Delhi in October.

Talasha, is among seven girls and 13 boys, who were officially named to represent the country in aquatics, as per information provided by her father Mr Satish Prabhu, who contacted ‘The Navhind Times’ from Jaipur on Saturday evening to convey the good news.

Mr Prabhu informed this reporter that his daughter will compete in four events at the Delhi Commonwealth Games. The events being: 50-m and 100-m freestyle along with 4x200-m relay and 4x100-m medley relay.

"This is a great moment for the Prabhu family. We are overwhelmed by the news and our joy knows no bounds," Mr Prabhu reacted on his daughter’s selection in the Commonwealth Games aquatics team. "It is her hard work and dedication that has paid off, coupled with the unconditional support provided by the House of Dempos; especially Mr Shrinivas V Dempo, who is solely instrumental in ensuring that Talasha was chosen as the Dempo Goodwill Brand Ambassador," Mr Prabhu added.

"But for Mr Dempo’s support and encouragement, Talasha would not have reached this far and the news that she has been selected to represent the aquatics team at the Commonwealth Games is simply terrific. We as a family are overjoyed, thrilled and we have no words to express our happiness," an emotional Mr Prabhu revealed.

In fact, Talasha, who has already been chosen as the recipient of the late Dilip Sardessai Award for Sports Excellence, is a thoroughly deserving candidate for Commonwealth Games selection. Her performances at various national and international events bear ample testimony to the fact that she has the right credentials to be selected for the prestigious Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, which begin from October 3.

"I know it will be a great challenge to be among the Commonwealth Games selection, but I can assure the connoisseurs that my daughter will give her best to keep the Indian flag flying high while also keeping in mind that she has been the Dempo flag-bearer by virtue of her ambassadorship," pointed out Mr Prabhu.

Meanwhile, Talasha set ablaze the pool at Jaipur in the on-going 64th Senior National Aquatic Championships bagging gold in the 100m freestyle event. She clocked 59.23 seconds in Saturday’s event and was declared the ‘fastest swimmer’ for her stupendous achievements.