I’m writing this blog from Rajkot, a small city in Gujarat, where I’m participating in the SGFI Swimming Nationals 2024. This marks my final swimming nationals after competing for the past four years. Swimming has been a part of my life since I was six years old—it was my first love, long before I got into online gaming, thanks to my mom. For the past seven years, my routine has involved four hours of training a day, six days a week, with occasional breaks for exams and other commitments. Competitive swimming demands immense dedication, but with my growing focus on STEM courses in college, I’ve decided it’s time to take a break—for now. I’ll be back, though! I dream of learning to surf, becoming a certified scuba diver, and perhaps even exploring freediving someday.
This post, however, is about my visit to Rajkot. The small city is buzzing with swimmers from all over India. As any athlete will tell you, competitions are where years of training are tested in mere seconds. I specialize in mid-distance freestyle events—400m and 200m.
I didn’t win any medals this time, but that wasn’t my goal either. I came here to embrace the experience and deepen my connection with the sport. While I’ve won several state-level medals, a national medal has always eluded me. The closest I’ve come was finishing 6th among the top 8 players. I often reflect on what’s held me back from securing a win.
My coach believes that with the same level of dedication, combined with even greater enthusiasm, a national medal is within reach. However, looking at my current timings, I feel I still have a long way to go. My best for the 50m freestyle has been 28 seconds, with similar performance range across other events. To compete at the national level and secure a medal, I know I need to push much further.
My classmates often assume that swimming is easy and even question whether it qualifies as a sport. There are plenty of misconceptions about swimming. Some argue that it’s easier to win medals because there are so many events, unlike sports like tennis or badminton. Others dismiss its competitiveness, claiming it lacks the camaraderie of team sports.
Many also believe that swimming relies solely on upper body strength
None of these assumptions could be further from the truth. Swimming is an incredibly demanding sport that requires a balance of strength, endurance, technique, and mental resilience. It’s far more complex and challenging than most people realize.
Let me break each myth one by one.
It’s true that swimming has more events, which can increase the chances of winning medals. However, this is balanced by the sheer number of participants. At the national level, each state sends its two best swimmers for every event. With 28 states and 8 Union Territories, that’s a total of 72 swimmers competing in each category. This translates to around 9 heats, considering there are typically 8-10 lanes in a pool. That’s an intense level of competition! Winning at the national level isn’t just about showing up—it requires exceptional skill, preparation, and determination to stand out among so many talented athletes.
While it’s true that swimming is an individual sport in the pool and there’s no one else to blame for a bad race, it’s also a sport that thrives on team spirit. Interestingly, many swimmers achieve their best timings during relay events, fueled by the electrifying cheers and energy from teammates and the crowd. The thrill of a relay is unmatched!
Even during training, the sense of teamwork is strong. We often train in a “train formation,” where the lead swimmer sets the pace and drives the entire group. Though drills and workouts are performed individually, they provide countless opportunities to learn from each other—whether it’s by observing technique, pushing limits together, or simply sharing a collective drive to improve.
Swimming does rely heavily on upper body strength, but the legs play an equally, if not more, critical role. In fact, the unseen effort of the legs often does most of the work. Strength and flexibility in the legs are essential, especially for techniques like the dolphin kick, which demands incredibly flexible legs and ankles.
The kick is the primary source of propulsion in water, driven by the thigh muscles—the largest and most powerful muscles in the body. I remember spending countless hours as a child in the pool, simply kicking with a board, honing this vital skill. Those early drills laid the foundation for the strength and endurance needed in competitive swimming.
Now let me share the best and toughest aspects of swimming. The toughest part, without a doubt, is swimming 50 meters underwater without taking a single breath. The first time I attempted it, I almost passed out. Over the years, I’ve worked hard to master it, and while I’ve significantly improved, it remains a challenge every single time. It’s a true test of endurance, lung capacity, and mental strength.
The best part about swimming? The appetite! Thanks to intense swimming workouts combined with my rapid teenage growth spurt, I find myself consuming a whopping 5,000 calories a day! It’s amazing how the sport not only pushes physical limits but also fuels such voracious hunger.
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