Mangaluru, Jan 27 (IANS): Swimmers representing Karnataka made waves at the second edition of the Den Den Sea Swimming Championship, where they secured an outstanding 51 medals, including 17 gold, 18 silver, and 17 bronze.
The state’s dominant performance was evident as they swept the top honours across multiple categories in the open-water competition held at the pristine Mangalore Surf Club beach. The competition, organised by Mangalore Surf Club, saw over 200 swimmers from nine states compete in five categories.
Karnataka’s dominance was particularly evident in the 250m and 500m events, where they swept all 12 medals in both the men’s and women’s divisions. In addition, they took home 19 medals across the 1.5km category, 15 medals in the 3km category, and five medals in the newly introduced 6km category.
While Karnataka took the lion’s share of medals, other states also brought home honours. Tamil Nadu swimmers earned four medals, Maharashtra and Goa swimmers claimed three each, and Gujarat, West Bengal, and Delhi swimmers added to the medal tally with one or two medals each.
Speaking about the event, Chirag Shambu, President of Mangalore Surf Club, expressed his joy, "We are thrilled with the success of the second edition of the Den Den Sea Swimming Championship. The competition was fierce, and we extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the winners. We’re grateful for the support from our sponsors and look forward to an even bigger event next year."
Rishabhraj Shetty, Contest Director for Den Den Swim 2.0 said, “This year’s event was a thrilling experience for all. The weather and water conditions were favourable, and the absence of jellyfish incidents allowed the competition to proceed smoothly. The athletes had a great time, and we’re already planning for next year.”
The Den Den Sea Swim continues to grow, attracting swimmers from all over India, and is also a key event in raising awareness about sea safety. Supported by the Indian Coast Guard, the championship serves as a crucial platform for promoting water safety.
The event garnered significant support from the Indian Coast Guard as Safety Partners. The championship also benefited from the support of the Open Water Swimmers Foundation and local fishing boats, which served as safety assets during the event.