Mahfuza Khatun is a Bangladeshi swimmer. She won two gold medals in the 50 m & 100 m breaststroke swimming at the 2016 South Asian Games at Guwahati.[2][4]

Mahfuza Khatun
Personal information
Native nameমাহফুজা খাতুন শীলা
Full nameMahfuza Khatun
NicknameShila
National team Bangladesh
Born1990
Jessore District, Bangladesh.[2]
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle breaststroke
College teamUniversity of Chittagong
CoachPark Tea Gun[1]
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing  Bangladesh
South Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2016 Guwahati/Shillong 100 m
Gold medal – first place 2016 Guwahati/Shillong 50 m
Silver medal – second place 2010 Dhaka 100 m
Silver medal – second place 2010 Dhaka 50 m[3]
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Colombo 50 m breaststroke
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Colombo 100 m breaststroke

Early life edit

Mahfuza Khatun was born into a poor family from Panchkabor village in Abhaynagar upazila, Jessore District.[2] Her father's name is Ali Ahammad Gazi and mother's name is Karimon Nesa.[5] She has four siblings.[citation needed]

She started competitive swimming in 1999 through a Shisu Academy swimming competition. She won her first medal in her 3rd grade.[5] She won the first gold medal in 100-metre breaststroke in national age group swimming in Dhaka in 2002.[citation needed]

She was a student of Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan; national sports institute in the year of 2002. Then she did her graduation and post-graduation in Communication and Journalism at University of Chittagong in 2016.[1][2] Initially she joined Ansar-VDP services team in 2010[6] but left in 2013 for Bangladesh Navy.[7]

Career edit

Mahfuza Khatun's favorite events are 100 and 50 meter breaststroke. She got her first SA games medal in Colombo 2006 in 100 m breaststroke.[8] She won two bronze medals in 100 and 50 meter breaststroke swimming in that games.[citation needed]

Again in 2010 South Asian Games, she earned two silver medals in 100 and 50 meter breaststroke swimming. Gradually improving herself, Mahfuza won the 100 and 50 meter breaststroke gold in 2016 SA Games. In 50 meter, she breaks the SA Games record with the timing of 34.88 seconds in 2016.[2]

She represented Bangladesh in 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi,[9] 2010 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) in Dubai,[10] 2013 World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona,[11][12] 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.[13]

Personal life edit

Khatun married another swimmer Shajahan Ali on 18 March 2016.[14][15] They were dating for quite some time. Ali proposed to her in front of Tajmahal when they were at 2010 Commonwealth games in Delhi. Khatun and Ali have known each other from BKSP days since 2002.

Honours and achievements edit

Awards

  • Sportsperson of the year award for 2016 awarded by Bangladesh Sports Press Association.[16]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Mahfuza's record splash". The Daily Star. Dhaka. 9 February 2016. Archived from the original on 9 February 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Mahfuza now dreams of Olympic chase". Daily Sun. Dhaka. 11 February 2016. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  3. ^ "Indian swimmers reign the pool on day setting 3 new records". Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha. 5 February 2010. Archived from the original on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016. Bangladesh took the silver-bronze through Mahfuza Khatun(35.43)and Doli Akhter (36.59s) respectively.
  4. ^ Rahman, Anisur (8 February 2016). "Mabia, Mahfuza make it Bangladesh's day". The Daily Star. Dhaka. Archived from the original on 10 February 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  5. ^ a b "'Golden Girl' gives up medals for father's treatment". NTV. 10 February 2016. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  6. ^ Mizanur Rahman, A K M; Uddln Ahmed, Dr. Forqan (5 June 2014). "Success of Ansar-VDP in games and sports". The Guardian. Dhaka. Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  7. ^ "Navy Chief Accords Reception for Success of Navy Team in Bangladesh Games". 28 April 2013. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  8. ^ Alam, Masud (16 April 2016). সাঁতারে স্বর্ণোজ্জ্বল! [Glorious in swimming!]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Dhaka. Archived from the original on 17 April 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  9. ^ "BD enrolls in 10 disciplines". banglanews24.com. 14 July 2014. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  10. ^ "2010 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) - Women's 50 metre breaststroke (heats)". Omega Timing. 15 December 2010. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  11. ^ "Women's 50m Breaststroke Heats Results". Omega Timing. 3 August 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  12. ^ "Shila 61st in 50m breaststroke in Barcelona". Dhaka Mirror. 4 August 2013. Archived from the original on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  13. ^ "Commonwealth Games 2014: Average start for Bangladesh athletes". Priyo. Dhaka. 25 July 2014. Archived from the original on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016. Bangladesh swimmer Mahfuza Khatun Shila finished fifth among eight participants in heat 2 of the women's 50m breaststroke event in the opening day of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games yesterday
  14. ^ "Swimmer Shila to tie knot Friday". The Daily Samakal. 15 March 2016. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  15. ^ "Swimmer Shila's wedding today". The Independent. Dhaka. 18 March 2016. Archived from the original on 17 April 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  16. ^ "Mustafiz, Shila win BSPA awards". The Daily Star. Dhaka. 31 January 2017. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.

External links edit