Female swimming: Flagging future, rising hopes

Pakistan female swimmers say that the play has been ignored for too long in the state and if facilities are provided, their performance can speak volumes. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD JAVED

There is no shortage of brave and talented Pakistan female swimmers who, in spite of flagging facilities and opportunities in the country, are making their target in the sport.

The zealous passion and a twinkling dream to do a figure in the play is reflected in the purpose of countless emerging swimmers.

Fourteen-year-old Lianna Swan, who came from Dubai where she is presently based with her family, made her note in the 12th National Women Swimming Championship 2011 held last month at the Jinnah Sports Complex in Islamabad. With a 100 per cent record, she won 4 gold medals in the four events she participated in.

It was my love that brought me here, Swan told The Express Tribune.

It was the start time I was taking office in such a title and I did not love what to require so I was a bit nervous but my fellow participants supported me a lot.

I am pleased with how I performed during the competition. The win made me confident and instilled a sentiency of need to advance further, she said.

Im hoping to get more professional, faster and stronger. My ambition is to be my country, Pakistan, in more championships, she said.

However, passion can be diluted through a bit of issues that the sport faces in Pakistan.

Lianna thinks that there is a deficiency of female spectators during swimming competitions in Pakistan. A cordial crowd with more females could draw the environment more easy for women participants, according to the swimmer.

While around are passionate, others are pursuing unlikely dreams.

Areeba Sheikh, a 10-year-old swimming prodigy, flew from Karachi to enter in the internal title and won a bronze medal.

I was divine by my mother and aunt to get in to this play and I started swimming almost 4 days ago, she said.

Javeria Fatima, 16, and Warda Fatima, 15, two sisters from Islamabad participated in the case with high spirits and no training from professional coaches.

We both reached the national level without getting training from a coach, said Warda.

It is very disappointing to see no professional female coaches in Islamabad to hone young talent like us. Besides this, the front of males near the swimming pool area is quiet discouraging, she said.

If we get facilities and professional coaches, we can cause our notice at the outside level, said Warda.

Competition in the play is ripe. Warda wants to beat Kiran Khana seasoned Pakistani swimmer who broke her own show in the in the 100-metre butterfly event and won 14 gold medals.

There is a superfluity of talented young female swimmers in the country. However, lack of professional education and organisation puts a potentially bright future of this play at risk.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7th, 2011.