Khelo India Beach Games 2025: Open water swimming makes debut, brings back memories of nation's storied legacy
Open water swimming emerged as one of the most interesting sporting acts at the inaugural Khelo India Beach Games (KIBG) 2025 in Ghoghla Beach, Diu. Young swimmers braved jellyfish stings and strong tides with determination before emerging out of the pristine Arabian Sea and sprinting towards the finish line.
Maharashtra and Karnataka swimmers dominated the sea in the 5km and 10km events at the KIBG, offering further hope that India's long coastline offers the perfect natural environment to groom open water swimmers.
'Maharashtra as well as beaches in Goa are safe. Karnataka, Kerala, and parts of Gujarat are also good. Bengal also has places like the Ganga jetty to practice sea swimming,' mentioned Rahul Chiplonkar, KIBG Competition Manager for Sea Swimming.
Sea swimming has a storied legacy in the country. Pioneers like Mihir Sen, who became the first Asian to swim across the English Channel in 1958, and later Arati Saha, Taranath Shenoy, Rohan More and more, brought global attention to India's capabilities in endurance swimming.
'Maharashtra is the most prominent state—it has a 40-year legacy in sea swimming. Then Karnataka and Kerala follow, due to their coastal geography. West Bengal also has a strong legacy. We've had legends like Mihir Sen and Bula Chowdhury, who were the first to cross the English Channel. Bula Chowdhury is still active—she swam in Mumbai last year,' added Chiplonkar, who made open water swimming an integral part of his life since 2005.
Crossing the English Channel is one of the prime targets open water swimmers have. KIBG medallist from West Bengal, Pratyay Bhattacharya, wants to cross it too but with a new intent. 'I want to become the fastest Indian to cross the English Channel next year, if I get sponsors,' said the 25-year-old, who won silver at the 10km event in Diu. 'People swim for 11-12 hours to cross the English Channel, but that won't make me happy. I want to target below nine and possibly stay close to the 8-hour 15 minute-mark,' Bhattacharya told SAI Media.
Bhattacharya, who started off open water training 10 years back at SAI Kolkata and later moved to SAI Tripura under coach Biswajit Dey Chowdhury, has competed at the Asian Championships in 2019 and 2022, making a 10th finish in both editions. 'In Uzbekistan in 2022, I was the only Asian in the entire subcontinent to finish under time limit. And I stood 10th,' continued Bhattacharya, who tried making a record in 2024 swimming the Palk Strait, from Sri Lanka to India.
'I was at a record pace. Unfortunately, there were two relay teams who started along with me and one person died in the sea from stroke. So, the full expedition was cancelled. I was pulled up 7-8 hours before, and thus I couldn't make the record,' the 25-year-old said.
Pratyay Bhattacharya, however, has already triumphed the world's longest open water competition for two-straight years – a stretch of 81kms – from Ahiran Ghat of the Bhagirathi River in Jangipur, Murshidabad to Gorabazar Ghat in Berhampur.
'This is an international event organised by the Murshidabad District Swimming Association, in association with Swimming Federation of India. I participated twice in 2023 and 2024 and became the champion both times, beating swimmers from Spain as well,' he said.
Open water swimming does bring up attractive records but the practical challenges are enormous and unpredictable. 'The weather and natural conditions plays a major role in open sea water swimming and the water and currents within the sea are completely different. The swimmers have to get a proper hang of low tide and the high tide,' said Neha Sapte, who swam a 33 km stretch from Dharamtar Jetty to the Gateway of India at the age of nine in 2001.
However, taking challenges head-on is something that has always intrigued Indians. 'In the sea, there are tides, saltiness, dehydration risk, marine life like jellyfish, low visibility and muscle injuries. Safety is also a major concern when catering to 40 or 100 swimmers. But the youth of India is ready to take that challenge head-on. That's the great part,' added Chiplonkar.
'Definitely it's an adventure sport and we are dealing with the sea, so there is a lot of risk that we have to take care of. Youngsters today love to take challenges, come out of their fears, and explore new things.'
The future, as per him, looks promising. 'Open water swimming is a budding sport in India as well as a competitive sport. 5km and 10km are Olympic distances, but it has a huge adventure element too,' said Chiplonkar, who swam from Mumbai to Mangalore – distance of 1031 kilometres in 13 days, in 2016.
In the first edition of the modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, the swimming competition was held in open water. In 2000, the Olympic Games first included a triathlon with a 1500 m swim leg, and in 2008, a 10 km open water swim. Open water swimming has now been included in the Olympic Games since 2008.
With the sport now being recognised in Khelo India Beach Games, Neha Sapte, also the team manager of Maharashtra swimming team at KIBG 2025, sounds hopeful. 'The government's effort to include open sea swimming in national events is a huge boost. It adds legitimacy to what was once considered just a passion sport,' Neha told SAI Media. "Open water sea swimming may not yet be mainstream," she added, "but it is exactly the kind of sport that builds courage, resilience, and national pride—one stroke at a time."
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