Queen’s Road Bengaluru (Karnataka ) :
Mohammed Yaqoob Saleem, a PUC I Arts student of Surana College, has been making waves in more ways than one way.
He has not only made his institution proud of his achievements but has also continued the tradition of top swimmers emerging from the city.
Saleem is an expert in freestyle swimming though he can also be a tough contender in other strokes. But the 200, 400 and 1,500 metres freestyle events are his forte and he brooks no opposition in these events.
Recently, Saleem won three gold medals in the state-level PU Board swimming championship at the Basavanagudi swimming pool.
In the state junior swimming championship in June, Saleem bagged six gold and two silver medals. Not surprisingly, he made it to the state junior team. A month later, Saleem proved his worth in the National Junior swimming championship in Bhopal by claiming an incredible five gold and two silver medals.
Saleem continued to impress and proved to be a strong contender in any meet he took part in.
Last year was particularly good for him. Representing Bengaluru in the state Dasara meet at Mysore in September, Saleem went on to bag five gold medals and won the individual championship which he says was the icing on the cake.
Saleem’s coaches are singing praises and at the rate at which he is going, he is bound to turn out to be a bright prospect for the state at the senior levels.
Karnataka has dominated the swimming scene at the national level for years. Be it the sub junior, junior or senior national meets, swimmers from Bengaluru and Karnataka have emerged on top. This year, Maharashtra displaced them from the top spot but only marginally.
It is talented swimmers like Saleem who emerge on the scene with unfailing regularity who hold out hope for the future. The Basavangudi Aquatic Centre and a couple of the other pools have excellent facilities, including highly qualified coaches. Saleem is in safe hands as he attempts to set more pools on fire in his quest for glory.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by S. S. Shreekumar / December 09th, 2014