Nepal swimmers set up base in city

Deepankar Sharda

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 11

The newly built all-weather swimming pool of Panjab University is catering to special guests these days, before hosting any maiden major championship.

The Nepal Swimming Association has chosen this venue to conduct their month-long preparation camp ahead of the 12th South Asian Games (SAF) to be held in Guwahati from February 6 to 16.

For the first time, in the history of Panjab University, any nation has chosen this venue for preparing their team for the games. The contingent consisted of five swimmers, four male and a female, along with two coaches and office-bearers of the Nepal Swimming Association. They have already set up their base here and will continue the course till February 2 before leaving for Guwahati. “We have chosen the venue after studying all the aspects required to prepare for a major championship. The arena is providing us needed facilities along with a full length patch. The Directorate of Sports, Panjab University, has extended all possible help to us,” said Ashok R Bajracharya, president of the association and vice-president of the South Asia Swimming Federation.

While providing details about Nepal’s swimming team, the president added, “We have five swimmers in Chandigarh while one of our swimmers, currently training in London, will join the squad during the last week of this month. We are preparing for this championship and focussing on getting adapted to conditions here. Indian swimmers are always best competitors in Asian games and we are trying to get over their best timing.”

Meanwhile, explaining about the ongoing preparation Ongden Lama, head coach of the contingent, said the venue was new and well-equipped with modern facilities which will help them to train their wards under good conditions and environment. “Being in Nepal or India is one and the same thing. However, in Chandigarh, we are getting familiar with modern equipment, which may turn useful during the upcoming international championship. Also, our swimmers are gaining a good temperament which would not have been possible while preparing in Nepal. We got an opportunity to prepare at some other venue, so we opted to avail this change,” Lama added.

Sonira Bista, Jayant Prakash Gurang, Manish Chitarkar, Anubhav Subba and Shubham Shrastha are the members of the contingent who are training here twice a day.

The contingent is being offered free stay. “We are offering every possible help in providing the team with good facilities. Our experience will account us proficient of hosting such major camps in near future,” said Dr Parminder Singh, director, physical education and sports.