Passion for swimming drives this Kerala youth to win titles

Her date with the pool began as mandatory swimming lessons at Rajagiri School in Kochi, Kerala where she studied till tenth standard. But now 16-year-old Shreya Mary Kamal of Kochi spends six hours a day in the pool training for national events after continuously winning titles at district, state and national juniors in the last few years.

More than winning, Shreya sees swimming as one of her passionate activities. When asked about the rigorous practice, she said “I feel great.”

Though the distances and stakes have grown over the years as she graduated to national -level events, Shreya has been consistent and she relishes the races becoming more competitive. Since qualifying for the national under-17 events, Shreya has raised the performance ceiling in the 200 and 400 meter medley.

“I never thought that I would be able to make it to this level of swimming events because I started learning swimming as it was a must in my school,” Shreya told “Open Digest.”

Now, Shreya is training under John Siddiqui of Zion Sportz in Hyderabad where she has moved along with her family.

“I am happy that she is slowly finding her rhythm post lockdown years. It’s tough for a sportsperson to lose two precious years of coaching & practise. It’s been a slow but steady recovery. Thanks to her coach John. Thanks to all our friends and well wishers. She has a long way to go and we hope someday she will get what she aspires for,” said her father Kamal Krishnan P S.

Shreya won five Bronze medals for Kerala State in the South Zone Junior Aquatic championship held at Trivandrum competing in 100 & 200 m backstroke, 50 m butterfly, 200 & 400m Individual Medley.

Shreya recently finished 5th in 200m backstroke at the National Ranking championship organised by the Swimming Federation of India. She was 6th in 100m backstroke & 8th in 400m Individual medley. Shreya holds the Kerala state record in 200 & 400m Individual medley & 200m butterfly. She had been consistently the Individual champion of the state in both junior & senior category.

“I don’t feel tired practising. I just go out and enjoy,” she added. The spoils of titles do not excite her as she knows that there are miles to go and she is putting in her best preparing for the Khelo India event coming up in February.