BENGALURU: IT has been a tough time for aquatic sports, like many others, in India due to the Covid-19 situation. The national aquatic championships was cancelled, but the Swimming Federation of India hopes that the pandemic does not spoil their plans for 2021.
It has been confirmed that the senior national aquatic championships is scheduled to take place in Bengaluru from October 26-29 while the sub-junior and the junior nationals meet will be held in the same city from October 19-23. If all the swimming events are scheduled at Basavanagudi Aquatic Centre, diving and water polo will be held at Kensington Swimming Pool and Nettakallappa Aquatic Centre respectively. Also, as per the SFI general council decision, a swimmer can compete in only five individual events.
“It is good that, in the sense, we are planning to hold the nationals, but keeping our fingers crossed that there are no major lockdowns as there has been talks of third wave and so on. We do not want a washout of 2021 as well. A lot of swimmers are training as many states have allowed it, barring a few. We may have a slightly lower participation this time, and we may not have too many national records also, but we need to get the competition going , which is the most important. I know it may be a little unfair on some people, but you cannot have a two year break,” said SFI secretary general Monal Chokshi.
It is after a long break they have something to look forward to in their events calendar. Many of the states have gradually started opening their pools, but some states’ pools still remain shut and it could lead to less participants. The SFI, despite the plans, have their fingers crossed with an increase in Covid cases and the threat of a third wave always looming large.