The Bhutanese Leading the way.
21-year-old, swimmer Sangay Tenzin from Pelrithang, Gelephu who competed in the Paris Olympic on 30 July shared that it was a dream come true for him to represent Bhutan.
He came 3rd in 100M heat with a timing of 56.08 seconds among 7 swimmers. This is even though his international ranking going into the heats was 74 out of 79 swimmers.
Living in southern Bhutan with scorching summer heat, Sangay, like any other child, seeking respite from the heat took to swimming. Swimming soon became a part of him, and eventually he wanted to become a professional swimmer.
Sangay said, “Swimming always excited me. Living in the southern part of Bhutan, one of the best ways to cool down from the intense heat was the cool water, which for me was swimming. I played several sports, but was drawn to swimming for some reason. Even though it wasn’t exactly a professional sport in the nation, and was merely a recreational activity.”
He also dealt with the problem of not having a proper pool to practice.
“Bhutan didn’t have a suitable pool or specialized coaches back then. However, I was lucky enough to receive a scholarship to train at a World Aquatics Training Center in Thailand in 2019,” he added.
With the help of World Aquatics and the Bhutan Olympic Committee, swimming has become a vocation to pursue.
He said that since the pool in Thimphu opened, he observed a lot of individuals, particularly young people, who are eager to learn to swim.
He said, “The majority of drug-related instances involve young people, which is unfortunate, given the prevalence of these cases. Adding swimming as a sport will provide the young people a lot more opportunities to follow their dreams.”
He shared that being at the Olympics and socializing with the world’s top athletes, that he has only see on television, feels unreal.
Sangay said, “Competing at such a high level teaches you a lot, and demonstrates the advancement of sport. I’ve attended a lot of swimming championships, but because the Olympics have more sports and more competitiveness, competing this is the best feeling ever. It goes without saying that flying our country’s flag during the opening ceremony was the most unforgettable and emotionally fulfilling event of the Olympics. Being able to represent my nation, in front of billions of spectators worldwide, made me feel incredibly proud.”
He learnt a lot from participating in and experiencing the highest possible level of swimming. It made him see how sophisticated sports had grown in other nations.
He said that the athletes competing in the Olympics have unrivalled willpower and dedication.
He said, “I’ve been greatly inspired by watching athletes compete at the highest levels and by being in the Olympics. It demonstrated to me that perseverance, hard work, and devotion pay off handsomely.”
“Though it has been difficult to find quality swimming instruction or any educational materials on swimming, but fortunately, things are changing. Although we only have one pool back home, this is only the beginning, and soon we will be able to offer swimmers there even better facilities. This is my message to all the young Bhutanese who are passionate about swimming,” he added.
His long- term objectives are to swim and encourage more swimmers in Bhutan, and support his federation in its efforts to grow swimming as a sport.
Further he said, “Words cannot describe my gratitude to HRH Dasho Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck and the Bhutan Olympic Committee, as without them, I would not be where I am today, and I will always be indebted to them for their unwavering support.”
