Medals galore, mother wants to see swimmer Sharayu as a naval officer
   Date :23-Apr-2020

Sharayu swims _1 &nb
 Sharayu swims during one of the competitions. (Inset) Sharayu proudly raises tricolour)
 
By Mahesh S Kale :
 
SHE has won a bagful of medals in swimming and other competitions. Now, Sharayu Fartode’s mother wants to see her daughter don a navy attire and join the force. Making a splash in swimming pools around the country and abroad as well, Sharayu has won several medals since childhood. As a kid, Sharayu enjoyed running and playing with water and as her inclination towards swimming grew she never imagined that one day she would get international recognition. Sharayu has won bronze medal at the UIPM 2019 Biathle Triathle World Championships in Egypt, a silver medal at the MPFI Biathle Triathle National Championship, Pune and over a dozen medals in open sea swimming state and national championships.
 

Sharayu with her family m 
 
“Sharayu, who had won a silver medal at the School Games State swimming competition was introduced to several summer camps from her childhood like drawing, skating, swimming, running, scouting, fitness etc. But she always had a special connection with swimming somehow,” said her parents Archana and Sanjay while talking to ‘The Hitavada’. “Sharayu was always into sports. Be it skating, running, basketball or any other sport but she always had a special corner for swimming in her heart,” Archana said. Archana who, is a teacher at the Sanjuba High School said, “During Sharayu’s nursery admission we showed her several schools but her criteria for admission into a particular school was that the school should have a huge playground and plenty of toys to play with. In nursery she even bagged her first prize in running.” Sanjay, who himself is a marathon runner, said “seeing her dedication for the sport we enrolled her at the Government Medical College (GMC) swimming pool. “Looking at her passion for swimming at the age of three, I enrolled Sharayu at the GMC swimming pool. But very soon I shifted her to Kamgar Kalyan Kendra for professional coaching,” Sanjay said.
 
“As a part of training every morning Sharayu and I used to run around five kilometers followed by some basic stretching and light weight exercises,” said Sanjay who works as an LIC agent. Sanjay said, “Initially, I never expected that she would be competing at the National and International level but when Sharayu started winning medals at the State championships from the tender age of six my thinking changed. Also it was Sanjay Batwe sir’s effort that helped Sharayu to reach such great heights.” “Sharayu finishing sixth at the All India 14 kms long distance swimming competition at the Hooghly river in West Bengal was one of my favourite moments.
 
Watching her swim fearlessly for continuous two hours while covering a distance of 14 kilometres that too when the temperature was five degree Celsius made me really proud,” added Sanjay. Archana is of the opinion that, “Sharayu competing in Biathle Triathle World Championships in Egypt was her favourite and proudest moment.” Archana, also mentioned that at times travelling with Sharayu becomes difficult because of work commitments. “Being a working woman I can’t just leave everything aside and travel with her. As a working mother I also have to look after other-day-to-day activities,” Archana said. Archana, who had travelled with Sharayu for the All India Open Sea Swimming competition organised by Indian Navy in 2014, said, “seeing the Navy women in uniform, the entire atmosphere I must say I was completely awestruck and I wish Sharayu some day joins the Indian Navy,” she concluded.