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Location : Kalinga Stadium swimming pool complex
Timings : 11am-1pm
Open from : April 10
Open till : June 10
Participation fees : Rs 3,000
Package : Swimming,
Package includes : Swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling
*Washroom facilities, energy drinks and swimming
costumes available as part of package
Bhubaneswar, April 11: The swimming pool at Kalinga Stadium, with its cool and sparkling waters, was the centre of attraction Saturday as 125 children from across the city arrived at the pool complex to enjoy a dip and learn fun activities like water sports.
The children are taking part in a month-long summer water sports camp that kicked off Friday, organised by Amazing Bhubaneswar with a view to train and nurture the young generation in swimming and water sports during summer vacations.
The camp is not limited only to children and even grown-ups are allowed to participate.
The hot summer days were all the more reason why the participants felt the need to beat the heat by signing up for such a camp.
“The event was basically organised to give citizens a platform to learn different water sports and also to help them take some time to cool off during the scorching summer. We are overwhelmed by the response we have been getting.
Around 125 people have already enrolled for our programme. The camp that began Friday will go on till June 10 so that we can cater to the demands of a wide section of water sports enthusiasts.
We are offering training in swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling and other water sports,” says Deepti Ranjan Sahoo, founder of Amazing Bhubaneswar, an event management company from the city.
At present, training in swimming is being provided in one of the swimming pools that has a length of 4.5 metres. Organisers say once the participants learn the basics of swimming, they would be shifted to a bigger swimming pool within the complex.
The organisers are charging Rs 3,000 for a month’s training, which will also include swimming costumes and energy drinks for the participants. Around five professional trainers are on hand to train the participants. The camp is open to public from 11am to 1pm every day. The organisers have also made arrangements for taking a bath after a swim, in order to help office-goers go directly to work from the swimming complex.
“I have brought my five-year-old daughter to this camp. I want her to learn swimming from a young age. I’m very excited about this summer camp and I hope my kid learns the basics of swimming well. She joined the camp today and she’s very thrilled about it, and so am I,” said a beaming Yogendra Bocchu, air traffic controller at the Biju Patnaik International Airport in the city.
Janvi SU, a five-year-old student of St Xavier’s International School, said she was ‘super-excited’ to be participating in the camp.
“I don’t know how to swim, and I have come here to learn. Today I tried learning to swim for around half-an-hour and it felt nice. I hope I quickly learn how to swim so that I too can swim like grown-ups,” Janvi said.
