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SWIMMING upstream in life
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Lokesh overcame physical limitations to excel in the tough sport of competitive swimming
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SWIMMING IS a demanding sport even for an able-bodied person and one can imagine how taxing it would be for a physically challenged man to not only take up the sport, but also excel in it. Twenty-nine-year-old S.P. Lokesh from Mandya is one such rare swimmer who put mind over matter and conquered the water despite being physically challenged.
Will to walk
Lokesh was born with deformed feet. His parents, given their middle class background and meagre financial resources, gave up on the young lad's chances of leading a normal life. But the youngster braved the odds, attended school, walking with the help of special shoes. But sports remained a big passion.
"I thought if I could walk, I might as well play too," recalls Lokesh.
He began playing gully cricket and that gave him confidence to try out more challenging sports. Then it happened in 2000, when he was visiting the PET Centre pool in Mandya. His first urge was to jump into the water.
"I knew it was going to be difficult, but still I wanted to swim."
Under the able guidance of coaches Surabhi Jain and Anand Kumar Srivastava, Lokesh learnt to swim. And, Lingaraju of the PET Centre allowed him as much practice time as possible at the pool.
But merely swimming well was not enough for Lokesh and he wanted to compete. For that he found the right trainer in Sindhia, who gives specialised training for physically challenged swimmers. Sindhia took special care of his ward and made him a winner in just 10 months.
Lokesh competed in the second National Championship for the Disabled at Chennai in 2001, and won three silvers and two bronzes. More success came his way in 2003, when he won his first gold in the third National Championship for the Disabled at Gwalior in 2002. Last year, he finished with a minor placing in the fourth edition of the Nationals.
The competition
"The competition has become tougher, and I too didn't train too well for the meet. But I am determined to win more medals this year," he says.
Lokesh also decided to try his luck in long distance swimming. "It was a huge risk, but I decided to compete in the sea swimming competition in Gujarat last year," says Lokesh. He took part in the Veer Savarkar All India Sea Swimming Championship held off the Gujarat coast and completed the competition distance of 21 nautical miles in 1 hour 38.43 minutes and finished 24th overall.
That experience stood him in good stead in the next long distance competition at Behrampur, West Bengal and later in National Ganga River, long distance meet at Patna. He completed gruelling course in 1 hour 50.35 minutes and finished 11th.
Lokesh also competed in the National Masters Championship held at Bangalore in November 2004 and won a bronze medal. A keen student of the sport, he also took up officiating in the State meets. He was on the deck at the State short course championship held at Mandya, diligently doing his job as a technical official.
Lot of hope
"Swimming has given me lot of hope in life and my only regret is that despite my struggle to make it as a swimmer, I am yet to find a job," he sighs. He has completed a diploma in computer science. But it is only a matter of time, before this gritty swimmer finds one and achieves yet another goal in life.
KALYAN ASHOK
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