Herald: Representing a country in international sports is every athlete’s dream. How special was it being the first Indian female swimmer representing India at the Olympics?
Maana Patel: Yes I was the only woman along with two other boys to participate in the Tokyo Olympics. It being my first Olympic Games, it was very special. I’ve always aimed to go to the Olympics proudly wearing the India jersey and it finally happened in 2021.
H: You’re a national champ! Last time you qualified for the Olympics through the Universality quota, what would be your goal for the upcoming Olympics?
MP: After Tokyo I am more determined to perform for the upcoming events. It has surely boosted my confidence and I know I can do it and there is still a long way to go. My next goal is to qualify for the Asian Games 2022.
H: As a women swimmer what are the challenges you face every day?
MP: Being a woman swimmer I haven’t faced any challenges. I am fortunate enough to come from a family that always supported my passion. My school also encouraged me to take it up professionally.
H: Goa has talent but doesn’t have swimming academies as they do in other States. Would you suggest to the govt/private stakeholders in setting up dedicated swimming academies to help the Goan swimmers?
MP: That’s very true. Goa doesn’t have a lot of academies. There is no doubt about the talent in the State but if the kids want to pursue swimming they have to travel to different States to avail coaching, which is not always feasible. So I request the Govt and stakeholders to work on getting Human Resources as coaches to improve on swimming as a competitive sport. Goa is actually one of the special places for me because I won my first ever National medal here in the year of 2011.
H: Being a Gen Z; many youth today face the challenge of finding a right balance between the real world and virtual world! How do you manage to stay dedicated to the sports with so many distractions around? Your message to children?
MP: Social media is a concern in today’s time. It is an integral part of our lives and I’d like to call it an ‘unavoidable evil’. Of course as every coin has two sides, this too has its pros and cons. But in the end it depends on us how to use social media. There is a thin line where we use it but not to an extent that it becomes a distraction in your lives. Kids this age do not understand where to draw that line. It’s quite sad.
H: So how do you tackle the situation?
MP: I am a voracious reader. I prefer reading books over spending time on social media. It makes me calm and also enriches my knowledge in different areas. The art of reading is also diminishing. I request all to read to not lose the habit of reading. Also before my races I have the habit of shutting my mobile data. In that way, I can stay focused on my game and not let the outside noise affect me. In the end everything in moderation is fine.
