15-year-old Chattisgarh girl swims non-stop for 8 hours, makes record
Making India proud! There are so many talented athletes who represent India on a global platform by setting and breaking records. And not just adults, these also include prodigies that show the world how it is done! Just like how a 15-year-old girl from Chattisgarh grabbed the attention of the folks at the Golden Book of World Records with her exceptional swimming skills.
Meet Chandrakala Ojha, the girl who swam eight hours non-stop
Chandrakala Ojha, who hails from Purai village in Chattisgarh made headlines by swimming for a whopping eight hours, non-stop. A class 10 student, she has been pursuing swimming as a hobby since she was five. With time, she has brought laurels to her family and village by winning three gold medals and two silver medals at national and state championships.
She started at 5:10 am and finished at 1:10 pm
Per reports, Ojha began the day by offering prayers and started swimming at 5:10 am in Purai village's pond. She continued swimming till 1:10 pm in the afternoon and became the latest person to join the elusive Golden Book of World Records. For this great achievement, she credited her coach Om Kumar Ojha, with whom she used to practice 10 to 12 hours daily.
Ojha was honored with a certificate and medal
As Ojha set an unprecedented record, she was conferred with the Golden Book of World Record certificate and a medal by Chhattisgarh Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu. Not just that, Dr. Manish Bishnoi, who is the Asia Head of the Golden Book of World Records confirmed and acknowledged her feat. As soon as she came out of the pond, villagers gathered to congratulate her.
The whole village supported her practice
While coach Om Kumar Ojha helped the girl hone her swimming skills, the rest of the village also played a role in making sure that there are no hindrances in her practice. During media interviews, the coach revealed that the entire village came up to support Chandrakala, with one group taking care of her diet and the other monitoring her sleep.
The young girl wants to make a career in swimming
After making it to the esteemed book of records, Ojha, during media interactions, shared that she aspires to make a career in swimming. She is also keen to train other youngsters in her village and help them win. However, she feels challenged and helpless owing to the paucity of swimming pools, proper infrastructure, and better facilities in Purai.
Other young Indian kids who made records
Back in 2018, Ananya Srivastava (then six) made it to the Golden Book of World Records by setting the record for the "largest kathak spin marathon." She performed 2306 Kathak spins in just 24 minutes. 13-year-old Tanushree Pithrody from Udupi made a record for the most backward body skips in 2021. She did 55 of them in a minute.
