Rohtak ke visually impaired swimmer Himanshu Nandal ne apne challenges se overcome kiya, national championships jeeti aur ab next month Paris me hone wale Paralympics me apne debut ki taiyari kar rahe hain.
Rohtak ka ak 20 saal ka ladka August me apni first Paralympics competition ke liye Paris jaane ke liye poori tarah taiyar hain. Meet Himanshu Nandal, jo ak para swimmer hain aur unhone 2021 me apni journey start ki. “As a kid, main khud ko doobne se bachana jaanta tha but professional swimming nahi aati thi. 2021 me hi swimming me meri professional training start hui hai. Isse pahle main judo player tha, “wo kahte hain.”
Making the switch
Nandal sportspersons ki family se aate hain. Unke father Balwant Singh, jo currently Harayana Police me hain, wo former national hockey player the. Unke Uncle, Manjeet Nandal judo player hain, jinhone 2014 ke Commonwealth Games me India ko represent kiya tha.
Himanshu ne 2017 me Judo se start kiya but unki ye journey smooth nahi rahi. Wo batate hain, “Para players ke liye koi judo federation nahi tha. Universities inn certificates ko recognize nahi karti thi, jisse mere liye sports quota ke through Delhi University me admission secure karna mushkil ho gaya.”
Due to optic nerve failure, janm ke time se hi apni sight kho chuke Nandal 100 percent visually impaired hain. Unke father kahte hain, “Halanki, judo me 50% visually impaired unn players ke saath complete karte hain jo 100% visually impaired hon. Competitions were not fair.” Bahot sochne ke baad aur fitness ke liye sports continue rakhne ki Nandal ki desire ke baad unhone swimming pursue karna decide kiya. 2021 me, unhone Siri Fort Sports Complex jaana start kiya; unki formal training October se start hui.
New Lessons for everyone
Nandal le coach, Ranbir Sharma kahte hain, “Himanshu ke mere paas aane se pahle mujhe para swimmers ko training dene ke baare me jada jaankari nahi thi.” Halanki, Nandal ke determination ko dekhte huye, Sharma unhe coach karne ke liye sahmat ho gaye. Under Sharma’s training, Nandal ne March 2022 me Udaipur me apni first Para Swimming Championship me compete Kiya. Yah unke liye ak badi safalta thi, kyunki unhone 2 gold medals jeete aur ak national record banaya. Sharma kahte hain, “Unhe aur baaki ke para players ko dekhkar, main Himanshu ko train karne ke liye pahle se kahin jada inspire hua.”
After that competition, Sharma ne kuch research kiya aur Nandal ke liye new training methods start ki. To train Nandal, Sharma swimming ke liye correct arm ki movements ko demonstrate karne ke liye uske haath ko pakadte the. Unhone Nandal ko instruct kiya ki, proper posture maintain rakhne ke liye freestyle me aage badhne ke liye windmill arc banate time uski arms uski thighs ko touch karni chahiye. Backstroke ke liye Sharma ne bataya ki Nandal ke Handa ko uske ears ko touch karna chahiye taaki wah straight posture ensure kar sake. Sharma kahte hain, “use training dete time maine rappers ke baare me ak baat aur seekhi.” “Taapers wo log hote hain swimmers ke sar par thapthapate hain jab wah pool ke end par pahochne wala hota hai, ye signal dete huye ki use wall se takrane se bachne ke liye turn hona chahiye.”
Stroke of success
Inn efforts ka result tab Mila jab November 2022 mein Guwahati me held National Para Championships me Nandal ne 3 gold medals jeete aur 3 national records banaye. Uske baad unhone Singapore me City World Para Series me participate Kiya aur Hangzhou me hone wale Asian Para Games 2022 ke liye qualify Kiya. Halanki, unhone koi medal nahi jeeta lekin unke performance ne kai logon ka dil jeet liya.
March 2024 me, Nandal ne Gwalior me National Para Swimming Championship me phir se 3 gold medals jeete. Unhone Singapore me May me held City World Para Series ke liye National Mineral Development Corporation se around 2 lakh rupaye ka sponsorship secure kiye. Nandal ne 100m breaststroke me minimum qualification standards and 100m breaststroke and 200m individual medley me minimum entry time achieve karne wale first blind swimmer ban gaye, jisse unhone Paris Paralympics 2024 ke liye qualify kiya.
To prepare for this, wah ab aur bhi hard training kar rahe hain. Wah subah 6 baje uthte hain, subah 8-10 baje tak Talkatora Stadium me training ke liye jaate hain, exercise karte hain, khaate hain aur shaam 4:30 baje tak apni body ko rest dete hain. Phir shaam 5 se 7 baje tak wah phir se training karte hain, raat 8 baje wapas aate hain, khana khaate hain aur raat 9 baje tak so jaate hain. August me Paralympics me gold medal jeetne ke liye khud ko prepare karte huye wo kahte hain, “ Enough sleep and rest utna hi important hai jitna ki next competition ke liye taiyar hone ke liye training lena.”
Indian Swimming News Or International Swimming News Padhne Ke Liye Facebook Par Swimswam Hindi Ko Like Karna Na Bhule:-SwimSwamHindi