Open Water ya Sea Swimming ka naam sunte hi normally logon ka dimaag endurance swimming ki taraf chala jaata hai, jise Mihir Sen aur Bula Chowdhary jaise swimmers ne popular banaya tha, jinhone English Channel ko kayi saal pehle conquer kiya tha.
Tab se leke, India ke swimming enthusiasts Dharamtar se Gateway tak waves ka samna karte hue swim karte rahe, ummeed rakhte hue ki ek din wo sea ko conquer karenge aur apna naam sabse youngest swimmer banane ke liye record todte hue banayenge.
Par ye sapne thodi setback face kar gaye jab English Channel ne ek rule banaya ki sirf 14 saal se upar ke swimmers hi attempt kar sakte hain, aur baaki expeditions ne bhi uss rule ko follow karna shuru kar diya.
Maharashtra ki team manager Neha Sapte, ne Dharamtar se Gateway tak swim kiya tha jab wo sirf 9 saal ki thi aur tab age limit nahi thi. Unhone kaha,
“Us rule ki wajah se maine shooting ki taraf shift kiya, aur main khush hoon ki main us sport mein India ka representation kar payi.”
Open Water Swimming ab Olympic discipline ban chuki hai, jo 2008 Beijing Games mein introduce hui thi aur isme sea ya river mein 10km circuit course included hai. Ye baat pool swimmers ko is discipline ki taraf attract kar rahi hai, aur focus ab expedition ki bajaye competitive swimming pe shift ho raha hai.
Khelo India Beach Games 2026 mein, Uttar Pradesh ke Anurag Singh aur Karnataka ki Ashmita Chandra, jinhone pehle Khelo India Youth Games aur Khelo India University Games mein medals jeete the, unhone men’s aur women’s 10km races mein gold medals jeete.
Donon — Anurag aur Ashmita ne event ke liye pool mein training ki, jahan unhone endurance training pe focus kiya aur din mein 6–7 ghante tak paani mein practice ki, kabhi kabhi 2–3 baar bhi. Anurag ne gold jeetne ka time 2:22:02 sec set kiya, aur Ashmita ne finish line 2:46:34 par touch ki.
Pool se open water pe shift hona kitna mushkil hai, iska idea is baat se lagta hai ki pool mein sabse lambi race distance 1500m hoti hai, jabki Open Water Olympics mein sirf 5km aur 10km distances hi recognized hote hain.
Ashmita, jinhone pehle 4 Open Swimming World Championships participate kiye hain, ne pool aur sea swimming ke beech technical difference ko explain kiya:
“Sea mein waves aur course kaafi challenging hota hai, distance ke alawa bhi. Race ke ek din pehle main khud ko mentally prepare karti hoon worst ke liye. Aksar ek lap lagta hai tide samajhne mein, fir main speed pe focus karti hoon.”
Sea mein Open Water Competition organise karna bhi apne aap mein challenge hota hai, kyunki organisers ko tide table ek mahina pehle study karna padta hai, aur phir weekly monitor karke exact race time finalise karna hota hai.
KIBG 2026 Competition Manager Rahul Chiplunkar ne bataya,
“Hume lowest tide difference pick karna padta hai race conduct karne ke liye, kyunki agar current zyada strong ho to loop mein swim karna bahut mushkil ho jaata hai.”
Unhone kaha ki waters kaafi choppy hote hain aur glide zyada hota hai, jiski wajah se strokes bhi pool se different hote hain. Swimmers ko direction study aur tide size ke hisaab se race plan karna padta hai.
Anurag ne accept kiya ki unhone abhi tak Sea Swimming ke technical aspects ko zyada study nahi kiya hai, kyunki ye discipline unke liye naya hai, aur unhone sirf kuch hi Open Water events participate kiye hain KIBG debut se pehle.
“Main Delhi mein train karta hoon, aur wahan koi sea nahi hai. Toh mera sara training pool mein hi hua hai.”
Chiplunkar, jo 2016 ke Sea Hawk Relay Team ka hissa rahe (jinhone Mumbai se Mangalore tak 1000km swim ki thi), ne kaha ki Khelo India Beach Games mein Sea Swimming ko include karne se ab sport mein zyada players attract ho rahe hain. India ko is discipline ke liye structured approach ki zaroorat hai.
Unhone bataya ki pehle Diu Beach Games mein lagbhag 40 participants the, jo pichle edition mein 50 ho gaye, aur is edition mein 70 swimmers participate kar rahe hain.
“India ke paas bohot bada coastline hai, isliye hum Open Water Swimming mein achha perform kar sakte hain. Goa aur Karnataka ka sea kaafi calm aur sea swimming ke liye acha hai. Abhi sea mein training permissions ki wajah se challenge hai. Agar hum ise sort out kar lete hain, toh hum aur international athletes produce kar sakte hain.”
