Mangaluru: Darius Lasrado bagged fourth in the sports fitness federation model category in the Mr. Universe competition, which was held in Bangkok, Thailand on July 16 and 17. Despite suffering a head injury six weeks before the competition, he was still able to compete.
Speaking to NewsKarnataka Darius said, “First of all, it was a huge honour for me to represent the country and be a part of the Indian team. This itself was a big achievement. This is something I have already done when I competed for Mr. Asia, and this is my second time doing it for Mr. Universe. I feel proud that I could bring something back for India.”
He further said that the head injury had happened six weeks before his competition. “I had to undergo minor surgery and had to stop my preparations for a while. I did not tell my family about the injury as they were in Mangaluru and I stayed in Bengaluru. They were not aware of how severe it was. They only knew I had fallen and got a few stitches. I had to take care of myself while also getting ready for the competition and staying alone,” he added.
Speaking further he said, “When I resumed my preparations, there were only a few days left until the competition. There was a time when I considered giving up and trying again next time. But then I remembered all the effort I had put in over the past nine months. After giving it some thought, I decided to participate in the competition and give it my all. That is how I ended up coming fourth. Otherwise, I would have bagged a better place. Nevertheless, I am happy with it.”
“I’m now taking a one-month break. After that, I will be preparing for another international competition,” said Darius.
Father of Darius, Oscar Lasrado said, “I feel very good about this achievement by our son. He is a very hardworking person. He goes to the gym twice a day and also works. He has made us proud.”
