Meet the Limca Book record holder for whom the oceans are a playing ground
Summary
At 46, Srikaanth Viswanathan entered the Limca Book of Records for being the oldest Indian to swim the English Channel. Six years later, the marathon swimmer's adventures continue
Srikaanth Viswanathan may have entered the world of swimming at the slightly delayed age of 33, in 2005, but he has more than made up for it since then. Today, at 52, the prolific marathon swimmer has waded in several challenging oceans such as the English Channel, Gibraltar strait, North Channel, Molokai channel (Hawaii), Catalina Channel (LA) and the 20 bridges swim around the Manhattan.
Also read: How an Indian ultra runner set a national record in the US
A senior R&D executive at a leading organisation in Bengaluru, Viswanathan has got several records under his belt. He made it to the Limca Book of Records for being the oldest Indian (at 46) to conquer the English Channel – considered as the Mount Everest of swimming – in 2018. In 2021, he received the prestigious Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award from then President Ram Nath Kovind.
In an interview with Lounge, the multi-faceted marathon swimmer opens up about the best and most challenging parts about swimming and his experience of swimming across the Strait of Gibraltar with his 21-year-old daughter, Kavya.
What do you love most about swimming?
Swimming is a very innate skill for humans. We all were swimming as a foetus in our mother's womb and hence, are naturally good swimmers! Apart from being a non-impact sport with low risk of injury, it is also an excellent cardiovascular exercise. Thanks to swimming, my physiological parameters have been in good shape for some time now. Plus, the joy of being in a weightless floating state in the water is indescribable.
What inspired you to take on marathon swimming?
Marathon swimming happened to me as a natural progression due to my love for the sport. I have always enjoyed my time in the water and wanted to swim longer. Swimming in open waters is like being in a totally different world and it offers me a huge adrenaline rush and unbridled joy. (That's why) I decided to take on the world of marathon swimming.
Tell us a bit about your swim across the Strait of Gibraltar with your daughter in July 2023…
My daughter Kavya, 21, is a competitive swimmer who used to train under Nisha Millet. She took up open water swimming in the last few years, and I was very happy that I could do a tandem solo swim across the Gibraltar Strait last year with her. It’s an intercontinental swim between Europe and Africa and a beautiful one in the mystical Mediterranean waters with rich marine life. We swam through the distance of about 16kms in 4hrs 28mins, and I think we were the first father-daughter duo to have completed a tandem solo in that Strait.
How do you balance a full-time job with your passion for swimming?
To me, it has always been a case of juggling the priorities of work, family and passion. Honestly, it can be quite demanding as marathon swimming takes an enormous amount of time for training. One good thing about swimming is that while you are at it, there are no distractions like calls, WhatsApp, social media etc. It’s my ‘me time’ and typically, I use those long hours for problem solving. Swimming gives me the opportunity to delve very deep into business challenges, and by the time I finish my training routine, I end up coming up with few solutions that help me at work. This way, I have tried to put my swim time to good use.
Give us an insight into your fitness regime.
Whether it is this sport (or any marathon sport for that matter), I believe that strong mental fitness is as important as physical fitness. Typically, the training and preparation phase extends to a few years before a long swim and one needs to be super motivated to wake up every morning and look forward to a gruelling training session. During the non-peak season, I typically train for about four sessions every week in the pool, and three sessions focussing on strength and conditioning training. Close to big swims, I tweak my training plans to adapt to the duration and distance of the particular event.
How do you stay motivated to overcome the challenges in the field?
In general, I always do things that I enjoy. And having tall goals always excites me, be it in sports or in my profession. They bring me a sense of purpose and direction. While there are always highs and lows in these journeys, I derive a tremendous sense of satisfaction by setting myself small and intermediate goals and achieving some progress every day.
What's next in the pipeline?
There are many projects on my mind. I would like to attempt the other channels in the coming years. Most importantly, I am very keen on helping other swimmers with an opportunity to experience the sense of adventure in open water. This year, I can proudly state that as a coach and mentor, I helped a swimmer (mother of two) from Nashik to successfully cross the English Channel solo. I also took a team of four swimmers to successfully cross the English Channel in a relay format. It was really gratifying to see the sense of pride and accomplishment in their eyes.
Deepa Natarajan Lobo is an independent journalist based in Bengaluru.
Also read: 5 great home workouts for rainy days
