Sambalpur: The All Orissa Khateswar Pandey Open Swimming Championships, fondly called the “Maha Kumbha” of state swimmers, started Saturday morning at the Dr Jhasaketan Sahu swimming pool complex here. Around 370 swimmers from 20 districts of the state are participating in the competition.
Sambalpur collector Samarth Verma inaugurated the mega event and wished success to participating swimmers. He assured that the much awaited diving pool with board will be constructed in the campus soon. Dr Dipak Behera, former vice-chancellor of Berhampur University, was the guest of honour.
OSA working president Pradeep Padhy told Orissa POST that 120 senior swimmers took part in 16 categories of the competition on the opening day.
Padhy said that approximately 250 swimmers aged between five and 80, both men and women, will participate in the second and concluding day of the event Sunday.
“Some swimmers from Delhi and Kolkata have also sent their entries. Our competition grade swimming pool has been given a facelift for this occasion. The most interesting event is a 25 metres swimming competition for toddlers,” informed Padhy.
Padhy also informed that the Orissa Swimming Association has decided that all medal winners of the meet will be representing the state in the national swimming championships at Mysore November 1-3.
He added that the medal winners in the age category of nine to 13 will be selected to represent the only swimming club of the state ‘Orissa Masters Swimmers Club’ in the Sports Federation of India (SFI)-conducted swimming championships again at Mysore, November 5-7.
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