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Amidst the feral sea, among the ravenous creatures, bearing the dropping temperatures swims a boy; not out of helplessness, but love for the sport. Don’t believe? Most wouldn’t. Read on and acquaint yourself with this 17 year old who is not just a survivor of circumstances, but a winner outright.
Sufyan Shaikh started swimming at the tender age of 3, when others of his age were perhaps managing their first steps. His life and accomplishments have been adventurous and rewarding. Hailing from Ahmedabad, an emerging metro-city in Gujarat, Sufyan has been there and done that when it comes to swaying through the waters. Sufyan has achieved a world record feat of swimming the 9 seas around the world, which is one of the toughest challenges for a swimmer.
When apnaAsia heard of Sufyan’s incredible accomplishment, we decided to speak to the young man and get a direct account of his endeavors just so you’d know him better. On reaching Sufyan over the phone, we find him a little busy preparing for his University examination. With due permission and little reluctance he agrees to spare sometime for us. He insists we check his website http://www.swimmersufyan.com/ for further details, which we had already done. |
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| Breaking the ice and opening the conversation we ask him about the many laps and distances he has swum, to which Sufyan remarks, “No two patches are ever the same. The temperatures of water, wild beasts, turbulent tides, busy shipping routes, etc. vary for each of them.” When coaxed to single out the one most challenging distance, he reminisces, “The English Channel was the most demanding distances of all. |
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The route was lengthy and the busiest for shipping. I had been told about what swimmers faced in their attempts to cross it. An estimate of about 16 hours of swimming was calculated. Though, when I took the plunge, I let myself be me. And I guess that’s what helped me complete the feat in a record time of 12 hours”.
Sufyan shares his experiences, having the gaps filled in by his enthused mother Qamar. Clearly for him his never ceasing source of inspiration is her. On being intrigued about why only mom’s the one for him he clarifies, “As it is, boys are more attached to their moms’ and my case is even more special. My mother recognized the latent talent in me when I was just a toddler. She took the pain and gathered the courage to be patient and at times strict with me. It is due to her persistent efforts, I am, what I am today. My dad on the other hand is a softy. He is more protective about me as I am the only child. He thinks I over stress myself and wants me to quit the dangers at times, though he has always been supportive”. “So there is a role reversal in my family,” chuckles the lad.
Does the Shaikh family have a history of swimmers, “No”, Sufyan answers blatantly, “Although my mother did desire to swim around the world when she was my age. Hope now she fulfills her dreams through me. I do feel proud as my cousin’s look up to me as their role model.” |
For his future plan, Sufyan declares, “I wish to represent India at the next Olympics which are to be held in London for 10 km swimming event. I am, at present training hard, practicing under the able guidance of my coach Mr. Nanavati”.
Sufyan owes his humble and frank attitude to the family he comes from. Though great in achievement he has his feet firmly grounded. There is no air, no show, and no superficiality. Truly, Sufyan is a sports star in the making, minus the pretense and facade.
It is not just the clothes that maketh the man, or woman. To swim across a sea, you have to become your own hero before becoming everybody else's. That is the type of material that Sufyan dons. For him “great things don’t come easy,” so, “Swim on”.
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- 2004- Arabian Sea, Chorward to Veraval 21 nautical mile (38.5 km). India.
- 2004- Persian Gulf , 2nd Asian Games Open Water Championship (10 km). Kuwait.
- 2006- English Channel – 33.7 K.M – Non-stop for 12 hours and became the youngest swimmer of the world for the year 2006.
- 2007- “Swim around the rock Alcatraz”. Swam 6 K.m in Pacific Ocean and came 8th. USA.
- 2007- “ Swim around Key West Island” (1) Atlantic Ocean – Start (2) Gulf of Mexico – Finish. Distance 12.5 mile.
- 2007- Adriatic Sea, Croatian International Long Distance Swimming Championship FAROS MARATHON- Stari Grad (Faros)
- 2007 - The Strait of Gibraltar Swimming Association, 3 hours and 40 min. Total Distance 21.2 K.m. Created the world record of being the youngest swimmer for this year 2007 and been the fastest Indian swimmer in Men’s Category.
- 2007 - Indian Ocean, (Bali International Swimming Championship) 10Km. Indonesia.
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Mr. Sufyan Shaikh has achievement and a world record feat, of swimming 9 seas around the world, one of the toughest challenges. He is set to get his name including in ‘The Guiness Book of World Records’, he swam across the English Channel and was the first Gujarati to swimming the Channel with the record time of 12 hours and no dough the he was the youngest one to do so for the year 2006.And the Strait of Gibraltar-Spain, covering the distance of 21.2 km in just 3.40 hours. The feat is all the more exciting and noteworthy for the fact that the sea there is as much as 4000 feet deep and heavily infested with dangerous creatures like shark, Whales, sea lions, jelly fish, etc. Sufyan did it very bravely in strong currents.
The Gibraltar Swimming Association has honored Mr. Sufyan as the “ Youngest and fastest Swimming of the year 2007”His next goal is to represent India at the next Olympics which are to be held in London for 10km swimming event. He is at present training hard, practicing under able guidance of his coach.
Along with his coach (Mr. Nanavati), Sufyan singles out his enthusiastic mother Qamar as a pillar of support. She is the one who has brought him this far, encouraging him and imploring him to do better every time. In fact, it was Qamar who pushed him into swimming after sporting his talent with the help of Nanavati who had found Sufyan’s endurance level extremely high even when he was a small child. Says a grateful Sufyan’s, father a well know International painter Mohsin Shaikh.
And with his extraordinary talents of swimming across the seas he has created a Limca World Record and also he has sent his application to the Guiness Book of World Records. |
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