Hyderabad's Queeni Sets Sight on Finswimming World Masters Championship in Cairo

Queeni Victoriya Gandam, 42, is geared up to make history as she prepares to compete in the CMAS Finswimming World Masters Championship in Cairo, Egypt, set to begin from June 24- 27. Her participation in the competition is important as she is Hyderabad’s first underwater finswimmer on an international platform. She is participating in the 200 metres monofin and 400 metres bifin.

Crediting coach Radhika from Vijayawada for introducing her to the finswimming sport and for training her initially, Queeni says, “Finswimming is not easy. We use fins and a snorkel to glide underwater. The monofin event is the toughest as our feet are curtailed in a single fin made of rubber that weighs 4.5 kg. We must rely on our abdominal strength and leg to glide like mermaids under the water with our arms extended above our heads in a dive-like position. It demands exceptional physical fitness and technical prowess. The bifin is easier.”

Queeni is a mother, entrepreneur, housewife, and sportsperson who took up swimming at age 38 when she would take her children, who are national swimmers, for practice. She also coaches at the National Police Academy. “I would wait for my children for an hour while they practised. One day I said, instead of waiting, I should also learn to swim, which is how it began. It was also time away from my hectic schedule, she adds.

Her participation in competitions also occurred by chance. In one of the competitions where she took her son, she saw they were taking on-the-spot entries in the senior category and entered her name. She bagged second place in the event, and there has been no looking back. Having participated in national and international events in breaststroke, backstroke and freestyle swimming styles, she has won several medals and accolades.

Queeni spends nearly 5 hours in the pool practising, with her day beginning before 5 am as she has to be at the National Police Academy at 5.30 am to coach till 7.00 am. She says, “Between her coaching break time, she also practices.” From there, she goes for her practice at the Blue Dolphin Swim Club to train under coach Dinesh Rajoria and his assistant for two hours in the morning and three hours in the evening.

As she embarks on this remarkable journey, Queeni pushes herself physically and psychologically while juggling all her duties. We wish her the best and await her success at Cairo.