Shikha Tandon

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Shikha Tandon

| image = The President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam presenting the Arjuna Award -2005 to Ms. Shikha Tandon for Swimming, at a glittering function in New Delhi on August 29, 2006.jpg

| caption = The President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam presenting the 2005 Arjuna Award, to Ms. Shikha Tandon for Swimming, at a glittering function in New Delhi on 29 August 2006

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|1|12|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Bangalore, Karnataka, India

| national_team = {{IND}}

| collegeteam = Jain University

| strokes = Freestyle, breaststroke

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{IND}}}}

}}

Shikha Tandon (born 20 January 1985) is an Indian former swimmer from Bangalore, India.{{citation |title=Who"s Who |publisher=India Today |author=Nandini Narayanan |date=6 July 2009 |accessdate=11 October 2010 |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/content_mail.php?option=com_content&name=print&id=50379#}} Tandon has won 146 national medals, and 36 medals in international competitions, including five gold medals. Currently, she is a member of USADA’s science team, assisting in the daily operation, development, and maintenance of the resources, reporting, and projects critical to USADA’s scientific initiatives.{{Cite web |url=http://www.usada.org/about/careers/employee-spotlight-shikha-tandon/ |title=Shikha Tandon - Science Program Lead | U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) |website=U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) |language=en-US |access-date=30 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809004332/http://www.usada.org/about/careers/employee-spotlight-shikha-tandon/ |archive-date=9 August 2016 |url-status=dead}}

Career

When she was 12 years old, Tandon was spotted at a state meeting, and was selected to compete in two national events, and won a bronze medal. Tandon went on to compete in the Asian Games at the age of 13, and her first World Championship at 16.

At the 2001 28th junior National aquatic championship, Tandon won the 200 m individual medley, setting a new record.

In 2002, Tandon finished 8th in the 100 m freestyle event at the 100m freestyle at the Asian Games in Busan.

At the 57th Senior National Aquatic Championship in 2003, Tandon broke the Indian women's 50 freestyle record, with a time of 26.61 s.{{Cite web |title=Shri Vikram Verma congratulates swimmer Shikha Tandon |publisher=Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports |date=19 September 2003 |accessdate=11 October 2010 |url=http://pib.nic.in/archieve/lreleng/lyr2003/rsep2003/19092003/r1909200312.html}} She won five individual gold medals in the competition, and was declared best swimmer for the third consecutive year.{{cite magazine |title=Awesome THREESOME |magazine=Sportstar |volume=29 |issue=1 |date=7–13 January 2006 |author=Stan Rayan}}

At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Tandon competed in both the 50 m and the 100 m freestyle, the first Indian swimmer to qualify for two separate events in an Olympic competition.{{Cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Shikha-Tandon-swims-into-Athens-Olympics/articleshow/251473.cms |title=Shikha swims into Athens Olympics |date=25 October 2003 |work=timesofindia.indiatimes.com |access-date=25 October 2003}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.rediff.com/sports/2003/oct/25aagswim.htm |title=Shikha qualifies for Athens |date=25 October 2003 |work=rediff.com |access-date=25 October 2003}}

In 2005, Shikha held seven national records,{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2005/12/16/stories/2005121612402200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060305121236/http://www.hindu.com/2005/12/16/stories/2005121612402200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 March 2006 |title=Sport : Shikha Tandon makes a splash |date=16 December 2005 |newspaper=The Hindu |accessdate=11 October 2010}} and was the first Indian woman to hold so many simultaneously. In 2005, she was honoured with an Arjuna Award. At the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, Tandon reached the semi-finals of both 50 m backstroke and 50 m freestyle.{{Cite web |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/shikha-enters-semis-of-two-swimming-events/story-wJUtuFmsHCZaybeXrlKRRL.html |title=Shikha enters semis of two swimming events |date=19 March 2006 |work=hindustantimes.com |access-date=19 March 2006}}{{Citation |publisher=Oneindia News |title=Shikha Tandon eliminated in both semifinals |date=20 March 2006 |accessdate=11 October 2010 |url=http://news.oneindia.in/2006/03/19/shikha-tandon-eliminated-in-both-semifinals-1142845362.html}} In the same year, she became the first female Indian to win an international medal for a short-course event, taking bronze at the indoor Asian age-group swimming Championships in Bangkok. In 2007 Tandon had surgery on her shoulder, and missed many of the season's events.{{Citation |title=Sandeep, Shikha striving for Olympic berths |date=11 September 2007 |accessdate=11 October 2010 |url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/11/stories/2007091153981800.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913052356/http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/11/stories/2007091153981800.htm |url-status=dead |newspaper=The Hindu |archive-date=13 September 2007}}

In 2009, after completing her dual master's degree in Biology and Biotechnology from Case Western Reserve University, she applied at the USADA, and became the first Indian to be employed at the USADA.{{Cite web |url=http://www.sportskeeda.com/swimming/i-always-wanted-to-work-with-usada-swimmer-shikha-tandon-interview |title=I always wanted to work with USADA - swimmer Shikha Tandon Interview |date=27 November 2012 |website=www.sportskeeda.com |access-date=31 May 2016}}

Personal life

Tandon has a younger brother called Shobhit, who suffered from asthma. Under advice from doctors, their mother took him swimming to improve his lung capacity, and Tandon joined them.

Her role models include Jenny Thompson and Inge de Bruijn.{{cite news |first=Purba |last=Dutt |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/spotlight/Shikha-Tandon-a-pool-of-talent/articleshow/6432582.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103170726/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-12-22/people/28248947_1_women-swimmers-asian-games-athlete |url-status=live |archive-date=3 November 2012 |title=Shikha Tandon, a pool of talent |date=29 September 2010 |newspaper=The Times of India |access-date=11 October 2010}}

Tandon attended Sophia High School, Bangalore and Sri Bhagawan Mahaveer Jain College which comes under the umbrella of Jain University,{{Citation |title=A day to remember for Akbar Ali, Shikha and Rehan |work=The Hindu |date=6 July 2001 |accessdate=11 October 2010 |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/07/07/stories/07071007.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050223184337/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/07/07/stories/07071007.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=23 February 2005}} and then studied biotechnology at Bangalore University.

She completed her dual master's degree in Biology and Biotechnology from Case Western Reserve University, Ohio and is currently working as Science Program Lead at US Antidoping Agency, Colorado Springs, USA.{{Citation |url=http://www.usada.org/staff |title=Meet our Team and Staff|date=2 May 2019 }} {{fv|date=November 2018}}

References

External links

{{World Aquatics}}
{{Olympics.com|shikha-tandon}}
{{Olympedia}}
{{CGF profile}}
[https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shikha-Tandon-Fan-Page/172098192807343 Facebook Fan Page]

Category:1985 births

Category:Living people

Category:Indian female freestyle swimmers

Category:Indian female breaststroke swimmers

Category:Olympic swimmers for India

Category:Swimmers at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Category:Asian Games competitors for India

Category:Swimmers at the 2002 Asian Games

Category:Swimmers at the 2006 Asian Games

Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for India

Category:Swimmers at the 2006 Commonwealth Games

Category:South Asian Games medalists in swimming