Rourkela: A city-based girl has brought laurels to the state at the National Cycling Championship held in New Delhi.

Swasti Singh, 16, has secured third position in the 6,000-metre scratch race event in junior women under-18 category at 70th National Track Cycling Championship-2018 held between January 2 and 6.

Swasti also took part and secured fourth position in both 500-metre time trial event in sub-junior girls under-16 category and 2,000-metre individual pursuit events. "Just give her some more time, she is capable of beating international champions," said Swasti's coach, Sushil Kumar Das, who was happy that Swasti was performing in one of the most challenging events of the game.

"We hardly have quality cyclists from the state, and after a long time, she has made a place for herself in a category such as the scratch race," he said.

The last girl from the state to have achieved and earned fame in cycling was the first Arjun awardee Minati Mohapatra.

"She has stepped into the shoes of Mohapatra. She is a store house of stamina," Das said.

Assistant manager of the sports department Abinash Khatua said: "She is a good student, and after her initial training by Das into the event, she stayed for a year at the Sports Authority of India's institute in Delhi and learned the advanced basics," Khatua said. After that she came back to Rourkela and continued her practice here. "Swasti learns things very first, says her coach Sushil," Khatua said.

Swasti could not be contacted. However, her father, Amar Singh, said: "I am thankful to her coach Sushil bhai and also to the plant management for providing her the right platform in her success. I hope she will definitely succeed at the international level," Singh said.