Defying disability, young swimmers eye world record
Student-athletes with disabilities on the ocean swimming expedition for a world record attempt of (604 km) from Rameswaram to Chennai at the Puducherry beach on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: S.S. Kumar
Defying disability and the daunting challenge of swimming across the sea, a group of 15 differently-abled children, on a world record bid of swimming over 600 km from Rameswaram to Chennai, reached the Promenade Beach to a rousing welcome on Sunday.
Supported by the Tamil Nadu Fishermens’ Association, the multi-stage swimming expedition under the banner of Wave Riders, began on August 5 from Rameswaram and will cover 604 km (roughly 325 nautical miles) before concluding at the Marina Beach in Chennai on August 15.
The team, including an 11-year-old, the youngest member and a 14-year-old girl, has covered an average distance of 55 km on each of the past six days.
The expedition is accompanied by a fleet of five boats, with life guard support, emergency care provisions and an ambulance on standby. The swimmers are given a break after about an hour on rotation basis with 8 to 10 swimmers on the move at any given time, coordinators said.
The expedition stopped en route at Thondi, Kattumavadi, Velankanni, Tharangambadi, Pazhaiyar and Parangipettai before reaching Puducherry. The journey ahead includes stop-overs at Marakkanam, Mammallapuram and Injambakkam before culminating at the Kannagi Statue on the Marina.
“The swimmers from Chennai have been undergoing rigorous training for several years by a team of coaches led by U. Satish Kumar with the help of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu,” a coordinator said.
Speaker R. Selvam, Deputy Speaker P. Rajavelu, president of the Fishermens’ Association R. Anbalaganar, and former MLA R. Ilango, were present in a felicitation ceremony for the swimmers.
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