logo
Archana Thiagarajan makes a splash at AIDA Freediving World Championship

Archana Thiagarajan makes a splash at AIDA Freediving World Championship

The Hindu7 days ago
Archana Thiagarajan is now lolling around at her parents' home in Perungalathur, diving headlong into a world of delectable inactivity. She deserves the spot of relaxation she has found in a familiar environment.
Squadron Leader Archana (retd) is back from the 34th AIDA Freediving World Championship in Wakayama, Japan. She is the first woman to represent India at this championship, which will remain memorable not just for the afore-mentioned reason. The 33-year-old athlete set four new national records across all pool disciplines, making her a 10-time national record holder in freediving.
Her journey into freediving happened by chance during a sabbatical in Indonesia, after she completed a decade of service with the Indian Air Force as technical officer.
Taking notice of the accolades she had won at the national level representing Tamil Nadu, an instructor introduced her to freediving, the practice of diving underwater on a single breath without the use of a breathing apparatus.
In less than one-and-a-half years, Archana has proved discipline and determination can break barriers in any sport.
'Forty-nine countries and 234 participants were in the fray in this international event, and I was able to break the Indian national record in all the four events that I took part in,' says Archana.
Freediving is open to those aged above 18. Over the last six months, she has been preparing for the competition, training at Puducherry and Philippines as well as at pools in Chennai and Bangalore.
'Freediving is considered an extreme sport and you cannot train alone, so my husband has been a pillar of strength. He takes care of my safety,' says Archana. She notes that her background in NCC and her stint with the Indian Air Force have helped her in the sport.
An avid yoga enthusiast, Archana says the sport emphasises relaxation, breath control and mental discipline over physical strength.
She adds, 'To hold your breath for four minutes underwater, one would need considerable mind power. I have to stay calm; and overcoming these challenges related to the mind was possible with yoga.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

FIDE Women's WC to have Indian winner for first time
FIDE Women's WC to have Indian winner for first time

Hans India

time9 minutes ago

  • Hans India

FIDE Women's WC to have Indian winner for first time

Batumi: In a first for Indian chess, the FIDE Women's World Cup will have a winner from the country with Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh set to fight it out in what could be anybody's game in the grand finale here on Saturday. It's the first in the event's history that two Indians are facing each other in the final. Both Humpy and Deshmukh have qualified for the Women's candidates' tournament next year after reaching the final here. On pure experience of playing big games, Humpy goes in the final as the favourite against compatriot Deshmukh. Humpy held her nerves to score a come-from-behind victory in the semifinals over Tingjie Lei of China in the tiebreaker on Thursday, while Deshmukh defeated former world champion Zhongyi Tan -- also of China -- in the second game of the last-four stage match. Grandmaster Humpy, 38, was the winner of the world women's rapid tournament and also tied for first at the women's grand prix in recent times and she has proved yet again that age is just a number. Her grit and determination has not faded one bit in the past many years. 'It's one of the happiest moments for chess fans because now the title will go to India for sure. But of course, as a player, tomorrow will be quite a tough game as well -- Divya has played tremendously well in this whole tournament,' Humpy told FIDE website. At half the age of Humpy, International Master Deshmukh has already stunned as many as three players ranked in top ten in the event. Her first victim was second seed Jiner Zhu of China, before ousting D Harika.

Root's 38th Test ton puts India on backfoot
Root's 38th Test ton puts India on backfoot

Hans India

time9 minutes ago

  • Hans India

Root's 38th Test ton puts India on backfoot

Manchester: Joe Root produced a batting masterclass on way to a milestone 38th hundred as England exploited a jaded Indian bowling attack to stamp their dominance on the fourth Test here on Friday. At stumps on day four, England were 544 for seven, stretching their first innings lead to 186 runs. Root made a sublime 150 off 248 balls while the other contributions came from Ben Stokes (77 batting off 134) and Ollie Pope (71 off 128), a day after the openers put a pedestrian looking Indian attack to sword. It has been a long tour with another Test to go in a week's time but considering the body language of Indian pacers in the field on Friday, lasting the whole series would be a challenge. The visitors have already been hit by a series of injuries with the latest one being X-factor cricketer Rishabh Pant's toe fracture. Both Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj seemed to be bowling with a niggle while debutant Anshul Kamboj hit underwhelming speeds in the range 125-130 kmph. Even Bumrah, who usually bowls in the range of 140 kmph, clocked speeds in the lower 130s. Having bowled just one over in the afternoon session, Bumrah was seen holding his ankle and even had to leave the field briefly. In his 24th over, he managed to procure the wicket of Jamie Smith (9). Siraj too seemed to be in discomfort like Bumrah, but he bowled with more intensity in the final session and was rewarded the wicket of Chris Woakes. The sun was out for the majority of the day, making conditions better for batting. Root made full use of that and in the process surpassed the great Ricky Ponting to become the second highest run-getter in Tests, only behind Sachin Tendulkar, who tallied 15921 runs. The lone positive for India was the performance of Washington Sundar who struck twice in the afternoon session after being questionably brought in as late as the 69th over. Shardul Thakur was used for 11 overs, raising questions on the presence of three all-rounders in the team. Brief scores: India 1st innings: 358 all out in 114.1 overs (Sai Sudharsan 61, Yashasvi Jaiswal 58; Ben Stokes 5/72). England 1st innings: 544 for 7 in 135 overs (Joe Root 150, Ben Duckett 94; Washington Sundar 2/57 ).

Top 8 Batters With Most Runs In First Innings Of A Test Match: Sachin Tendulkar Leads, Joe Root Enters Elite Club
Top 8 Batters With Most Runs In First Innings Of A Test Match: Sachin Tendulkar Leads, Joe Root Enters Elite Club

India.com

time9 minutes ago

  • India.com

Top 8 Batters With Most Runs In First Innings Of A Test Match: Sachin Tendulkar Leads, Joe Root Enters Elite Club

photoDetails english 2937114 Updated:Jul 26, 2025, 11:52 AM IST Sachin Tendulkar - 5,608 Runs 1 / 9 The God of Cricket leads the elite list with 5,608 runs in the first innings of Tests, achieving this milestone in 91 innings. His consistency at the top set the foundation for India's dominance. Ricky Ponting - 5,403 Runs 2 / 9 Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting follows closely with 5,403 runs in 92 innings, known for his aggressive yet dependable batting style in crucial opening stints. Steve Smith - 5,274 Runs 3 / 9 Modern-day Test legend Steve Smith has amassed 5,274 runs in just 71 innings, showcasing his unmatched ability to dictate terms early in the game. Steve Waugh - 4,855 Runs 4 / 9 Australian great Steve Waugh takes the fourth spot with 4,855 runs in 94 innings, often anchoring his side with gritty and determined knocks. Jacques Kallis - 4,317 Runs 5 / 9 The legendary South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis scored 4,317 runs in the first innings from 80 innings, combining solid defense with elegance. Rahul Dravid - 4,121 Runs 6 / 9 Known as 'The Wall', Indian batting maestro Rahul Dravid accumulated 4,121 runs in 75 innings, providing reliability when it mattered most. Allan Border - 4,056 Runs 7 / 9 Former Australian captain Allan Border makes the list with 4,056 runs in 87 innings, remembered for his leadership and fighting spirit. Joe Root - 4,023 Runs 8 / 9 England's Test stalwart Joe Root is the only active player on the list, scoring 4,023 runs in 84 innings. Root's adaptability and consistency keep him among cricket's all-time greats. 9 / 9 All Images:- X, ESPNcricinfo

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store