Thrill of the chill: Open Water Swimming Festival

By Humairatun Nisa

It takes hard work and dedication to finish a mentally challenging race. The mentality to keep going is something that could not be easily achieved, but it is a vital mindset that needs to be implanted in the minds of open water swimmers.

In the deep blue sea with no lanes or tiled walls, it is simply impossible for swimmers to rest or stop swimming.

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming

The general public tends to assume that open water swimming is nothing different compared to swimming in average swimming pool.

However, there is a huge difference between the two.

For instance, the water temperature in a swimming pool could be altered according to the preferred temperature of the swimmers but the same cannot be applied for open water swimming where the temperature of the sea only depends on the condition of the atmosphere.

A key difference between open water swimming and swimming in the pool includes huge monstrous waves that forces swimmers to use more power in their kicking when battling with the waves coming towards their direction.

However, it is crucial to ensure a smooth motion when swimming in the sea.

To illustrate, your legs should be kept high above the water to produce a flutter and reduce drag whilst preserving your precious energy by not kicking too fast. Your hand pulling technique should allow you to glide according to the motion of the waves by reaching out to pull and taking advantage of the glide before starting a new pull. 

It’s safe to say that nothing is impossible when two of our fastest piranhas, Zahra Adhlin and Marissa Zahira from the KYS swimming team managed to secure 3^rd and 5^th placing respectively while the rest of the swimmers achieved the top 10 placing. Salute to all swimmers for crossing the finishing line and getting a finisher medal.

As Michael Phelps once said, “Nothing is impossible. With so many people saying it couldn’t be done, all it takes is an imagination.”