There is little change when reporting on the Women’s Sindh Open from year to year. Karachi Grammar School retains championship title; Records are broken when teammates and mothers cheer swimmers until their throats are hoarse; Top swimmers wow crowds with fast races duplicated on international stages for Team Pakistan. The only thing that changes is the sense of camaraderie, sportsmanship and drive that the girls have: it gets stronger every year.
However, there were some anomalies at the 31st Sindh Women’s Swimming Championships this weekend. A record 377 participants from nearly 20 institutions in Karachi competed in the two-day age-group championship, compared to numbers of 250 or less in previous years. For the first time, longer and more strenuous races such as the 800m freestyle, 400m IM and 200m breaststroke were removed from the event list due to a lack of participants, according to organisers.
For the third consecutive year, Hareem Malik was crowned double group champion by achieving the most points in the Under-16 and Open Age categories. The KGS vice-captain took home eight gold medals and set five new records, the most of any swimmer in the competition.
With already one national record to his name, Hareem said his main goal is to break a couple more when he represents Pakistan for the fifth time at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh next week.
Some of the “senior” swimmers like Hareem (those completing their O and A levels) have to balance a strong academic workload with intense training and a packed competition calendar.
The weekend after her return from Riyadh, Hareem will head to Islamabad for the women’s age group national championships, followed by the National Games in Karachi in December, which will be held amid midterm exams for most school athletes.
“I have to dedicate time to swimming and my studies, which always come first, but sometimes I have to make compromises,” said 16-year-old Hareem. Sunrise at the Sindh Open.
KGS team captain Haya Bari, who will begin college applications in a few weeks, hopes younger swimmers will find ways to maintain their love of swimming while balancing the rigorous demands of the elite academy.
Just 24 hours before the Sindh Open began, Haya’s younger sister Shanzay returned from the 3rd Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, where she improved several of her own times.
“It was a great experience and a great platform to represent Pakistan,” said Shanzay, who won six gold, one silver and one bronze medal at the Sindh Open.
“It’s hard having to juggle morning training, getting home at nine at night, trying to sleep early and maintaining nutrition,” said Bari’s younger sister. “Most days you eat in the car to save time.
“But everything is balanced by keeping track of time in everything you do, and that’s what this sport teaches us,” he said.
Another notable swimmer this year who broke the record books was 12-year-old Zoya Omair Hafiz. She retained her title as champion of the U12 group with three golds and as many records, in addition to a handful of silver and bronze medals in both the U12 category and the open category. He missed the open age record for the 200m butterfly by just 0.25 seconds.
“I’m happy with my time, but if I had gone a little faster, I could have broken the record and given my team a few more points,” she said.
“Overall, I am very happy with my performance this weekend. I have junior national competitions and then the National Games; I am excited to see how the girls from Punjab and other units perform.”
Several mothers smiled silently with pride as they watched their daughters give interviews to various television channels while taking photos with their teammates and coaches. Moments earlier, chief guest Nimrah Khan struck a chord with the audience when she spoke about her parents’ unwavering support after she suffered an accident that left her wheelchair-bound for over three years.
“Having the support of your parents like I had is a blessing that many do not have,” the actress said in her speech while holding back tears.
While addressing parents in the audience, Nimrah asked, “Why are women called the ‘son of the family’ when they achieve something? They should be told that they are proud of them for being their daughter.”
Her farewell message to the swimmers was met with loud applause from an audience captivated by her journey from athlete to coma to actress.
“You are all unstoppable, unattainable and untouchable. I know there are various barriers and social pressures that stand in your way, but you answer to no one. Keep doing what you do and you will be unstoppable.”
General results: kgs 533 points; CAS 176.5 points; Karachi Club 129 points; Haque Academy 110.5 pts; Bayview Academy 109 points; Beaconhouse Defense Campus 24 points; Khi United Swim Association and DHA Sports Club (Moin Khan) 2 pts each.
group champions
8 years and under: Aanya Salahuddin (18 points); 10 years and under: Ranya Chapal (16 points); 12 years and under: Zoya Omair Hafiz (33 points); 14 years and under: Fariah Imran and Zara Farhan Ilyas (16 points); 16 years and under: Hareem Malik (33 points); Open age: Hareem Malik (28 points).
