Is hafte Indian open water swimming community me ek khabar kaafi viral hui ki Satendra Singh Lohiya ne New Zealand ke Cook Strait ko cross karke pehle Asian para swimmer hone ka record banaya. Social media par unhe kaafi badhaiyan mili aur achievement celebrate ki gayi.
Lekin jab is claim ko detail me verify kiya gaya, to pata chala ki jo swim unke naam se viral ho rahi hai, wo New Zealand Open Water Swimming Association (NZOWSA) dwara officially ratify nahi ki gayi hai.
Reports ke mutabik, Lohiya ne Cook Strait solo swim nahi kiya tha, balki wo ek relay team ka hissa the. Is relay me swimmers 30-minute ke turns me swim kar rahe the. Lekin official rules ke hisaab se Cook Strait relay me maximum 6 swimmers allowed hote hain aur har swimmer ko 1-hour ka stint complete karna hota hai.
NZOWSA ke president Simon Olliver ne 18 February 2026 ko email me clarify kiya ki Lohiya ki swim unki official boats ke through nahi hui thi, isliye association is attempt ko ratify nahi kar rahi. Unhone ye bhi kaha ki 30-minute rotation unke rules ke against hai. Agar koi doosri organization is relay ko ratify karti bhi hai, to NZOWSA ise recognize nahi karegi kyunki wo Channel Swimming Association ke relay rules follow karte hain.
Email me ye bhi mention tha ki Lohiya ke do Indian teammates ne baad me ek nayi relay team banayi aur successfully Cook Strait cross kiya, jo NZOWSA ke rules ke according tha aur jise ratify kiya jayega.
Relay swim me kaun-kaun shamil tha?
Un do Indian teammates me Queeni Victoriya Gandam aur unka 22 saal ka beta Stephen Kumar shamil the. Ye dono ek 6-member relay team ka hissa the jinhone South se North direction me 27.4 km ka Cook Strait 8 ghante 57 minute 18 second me complete kiya.
Shuruaat me Queeni aur Stephen, Lohiya ki Maithili Foundation relay team ka part the. Unki pehli koshish 28 January ko North se South direction me hui thi, lekin kharab weather conditions ki wajah se swim ko beech me hi abandon karna pada.
Lohiya par lagaye gaye aarop
Queeni ne Lohiya par kuch serious aarop lagaye, jinme mismanagement, communication issues aur official events me teammates ko properly introduce na karna shamil tha. Unhone claim kiya ki unhe Indian Embassy ke Republic Day event se exclude kar diya gaya tha.
Unhone logistics aur safety decisions par bhi sawal uthaye. Queeni ke mutabik, pehle team 5 members ki batayi gayi, phir 4 kar di gayi, aur swim ke din ek swimmer ko officials ne reject bhi kar diya. Unka kehna tha ki unki team ko North-to-South route diya gaya jahan strong tides ki wajah se conditions zyada tough thi, aur crew open water protocols ko properly follow nahi kar raha tha.
Unhone ye bhi claim kiya ki organizer ne unse kaha tha ki agar wo 11,000 NZD extra pay karein to ek aur slot liya ja sakta hai aur additional swimmers add kiye ja sakte hain.
Aakhir me kya hua?
Pehli unsuccessful attempt ke baad, Lohiya ne naye teammates dhundhne shuru kiye. 30 January ko NZ community (Picton area) me message circulate hua ki ek 3-member relay team ko 4th swimmer ki zarurat hai, jo Lohiya ki taraf se tha. Local person ne ye disclaimer bhi diya ki wo swimmers ko personally nahi jaanta.
Isi team ke saath Lohiya ne relay complete ki, jisme 30-minute turns liye gaye the, jo official relay rules ke according nahi the.
Dusri taraf, Queeni ne apni stay extend ki aur apni beti ki madad se ek naye organizer ke through team banayi. Is nayi team me wo aur Stephen shamil the, aur unhone South-to-North route successfully complete kiya, jo official body dwara ratify bhi kiya jayega.
Source: TheBridge
