Sun, Dec 23, 2018 page10

• Celebrated swimmer hangs up trunks at 67

  • AFP, DHAKA
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  After nearly half a century navigating Bangladesh’s thousands of miles of rivers, the nation’s most celebrated swimmer has hung up his trunks — but not before one final, arduous paddle upstream.

  Kshitindra Baisya, 67, plans to spend his retirement on dry land inspiring younger generations to embrace the water in a country crisscrossed by huge rivers, but where few swim.

  “I didn’t have much idea about the beauty of this country until I swam dozens of its rivers,” Baisya said.

  

  Kshitindra Baisya swims in a lake in Dhaka on Oct. 4.

  Photo: AFP

  A veteran of Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war against Pakistan, Baisya taught himself to swim at 18 and before long was paddling marathon distances.

  A decade later, he earned some notoriety when he swam 74km of India’s Bhagirathi River.

  He opts for the breaststroke, head above water, rather than the freestyle preferred by purists.

  “It helps preserve energy,” he said as he stretched before a dip in a Dhaka pond.

  Baisya has not broken any speed records, but his self-taught technique has allowed him to cover vast distances solo during a career unrivaled in Bangladesh.

  “I am addicted to swimming. Every day, I swim three to four hours,” he said.

  Always eschewing the pool, Baisya prefers to swim along Bangladesh’s lengthy river networks — more than 700 channels draining south into the Bay of Bengal.

  He has never strayed from a winning formula of yoga, basic exercise and a humble diet complemented with dates and bananas for energy.

  However, as he approached 70, the veteran swimmer knew it was time to call it a day — but not before one last triumph.

  Baisya had always wanted to swim the Bhugai, Kangsha and Maghra rivers in Bangladesh’s north — uninterrupted and in one long slog.

  He had a crack last year, but fell short before returning to try again one last time in September.

  Tailed by a support canoe and fans lining the riverbanks shouting his name, Baisya swam 185km in an unbroken 61-hour marathon — a possible record for someone of his age, organizers said.

  Apart from the sheer distance — and fighting fatigue as he swam through two consecutive days and nights — Baisya had to negotiate polluted stretches of river that irritated his skin.

  “It was a difficult task as the water was almost stagnant due to a lack of monsoon rains. On top of that, parts of these rivers were polluted, with garbage floating around,” he said.

  At about 8pm on Sept. 5, Baisya crossed the finish line with thousands cheering him on.

  He was taken to hospital for health checks, but was declared fighting fit.

  “We were tense,” said Aditi Bhusan, one of those monitoring the swim. “He was quite old to make such a daring attempt, but he was very stubborn and mentally strong.”

  Baisya had become the oldest swimmer on record to cross such a distance — further even than Diana Nyad, an American who in 2013 crossed 165.7km of the Florida Straits at the age of 64, organizers said, adding that they are seeking to get the record confirmed.

  His swansong done and dusted, Baisya has turned his attention to another lifelong pursuit — getting young Bangladeshis into the water.

  It is no easy feat in a country where few children can swim and 18,000 people drown every year — nearly 50 a day on average.

  However, Baisya hopes his determination and love of the water will inspire others to take the plunge.

  “I truly hope young swimmers will be motivated by watching what I do at this age,” he said.
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