Daijiworld Media Network - Hungary (SHP)

Hungary, Aug 13: Aishwarya Pissay achieved an impeccable feat when she claimed a world title in motorsports. The 23-year-old became the first Indian to gain victory at the FIM World Cup in the women’s category in the final round of the championship held in Várpalota, Hungary.

On Sunday, August 11, Aishwarya came second in the FIM Junior category with 46 points. She had won the first round in Dubai, had finished third in Portugal, fifth in Spain and fourth in Hungary. In the following outings she brought her total to 65 points, four points more than Rita Vieira of Portugal, when calculating the final overall standings for women.

She started the Hungarian Baja with a seven-point lead and maintained momentum through the gruelling 590 km stretch. Aishwarya and Vieira were the pegged as the top contenders for the title. Earlier, the fourth-place finish had earned Aishwarya 13 points, while Vieira, who was placed third, gained 16. Seasoned rider, Rosa Romero, at one point ended up leading the final round, although, Aishwarya started with the lead.

When asked about her achievement, Aishwarya stated it as ‘overwhelming’ and said, “After what happened last year, my first international season, when I crashed in Baja, Spain, I suffered career-threatening injuries, to come out and win the championship is a great feeling. It was a tough phase of my life, but I believed in myself and was determined to get back on the bike which I did after nearly six months. So, winning the World Cup is huge for me and I will look forward to improving my performance. I also hope to get more sponsors on board and eventually realize my dream of participating and finishing the Dakar Rally (touted as the most challenging cross-country race). I will pursue that dream no matter what.

In the past, Aishwarya had ranked in the fourth place at Hungary Baja. Remembering her performance, she said, “Without doubt, the Hungarian Baja was one of my best races though I did not win. It was not an easy race. Given the nature of the terrain, it was more about endurance than pace. I was riding a smaller bike of 250cc, in comparison to the 450cc bikes the other girls were on, causing a difference of 20-25 minutes between me and them.”

“On the positive side, I was happy that I was closing the gap between me and the other riders. I was able to get within seven minutes of Vieira and that gave me the confidence. However, it was more about finishing the race and I was focused on that,” she added.

Aishwarya is all set to be back in Bengaluru on Wednesday.