BENGALURU: If you thought Goa was just a holiday destination for travellers, then you are mistaken. From Ironman to swimathons, Goa is also a destination for sports enthusiasts. With an overcast sky and moderate tides, the recently-concluded 10th Goa Swimathon organised by Enduro Sports at the Bambolim beach, turned out to be an exciting one, especially for Bengalureans.
The event witnessed around 333 swimmers, out of which 114 swimmers – the largest contingent – were from Bengaluru. Most of them ended up as podium finishers and winners in different age categories. From youngest swimmer Harshini Chander (17), winning the 1km race, to the oldest swimmer Lalitha Vijayaraghavan (71), winning the same race under the 60+ age category, the Bengaluru contingent had a lot to celebrate. Interestingly, the podium finishers were honoured with traditional Goan art photo frames as a token of gesture and in order to promote the creations of local artisans.
Chander, who is studying in Class 12, felt that the salt content dehydrated her during the competition. “I was scared ahead of the competition because I only have experience of swimming in open lakes, this was my maiden open-sea competition. Although I did not feel any difference, the salt content dehydrated me. I trained by myself for three-four days a week before the competition,” says Chander.
For a Bengalurean, the sea is a distant cry. Looking at it as a different experience, Mohan Rao, 63, who secured third place in the 4km race under the 60+ age category, says, “I don’t compete to win. I have always banked on my pace and the effort to better my timing in every competition,” says Rao.
Vijayaraghavan, who started swimming at the age of 12, is still a competitive swimmer. In the 10th Goa Swimathon, Vijayaraghavan registered her win in the 1-km race under the 60+ age category. “It was tough to maintain a consistent swimming routine over the last few years due to the lockdowns. However, I underwent rigorous training for at least 80 minutes a day before the competition. I finished the race in 42 minutes, the sea was churning out mild and moderate-level tides which was not so challenging,” says Vijayaraghavan, who is gearing up to participate in swimming in the Pan-India Master Games in May this year.
Tanvi Chandawarkar, 29, who finished second in the 1km race under the 25-39 age category, went into the swimathon not expecting to win, but to enjoy it. “This is my maiden open-seawater swim and I felt I was able to swim effortlessly because of the buoyancy. I was just certified as an underwater scuba diver in Puducherry last year and that boosted my confidence to swim in the open sea,” says Chandawarkar, a chef in a city hotel.