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Nepali para-swimmers turn tragedy into a shot at Asian Para Games glory

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Nepali para-swimmers Jenisha Kadayat, Harka Man Gharti, and Member Singi Syangba are training for the Asian Para Games despite physical challenges.
  • The athletes, who have spinal cord injuries, missing limbs, or amputations, train at a discounted rate due to the scarcity of accessible pools in Nepal.
  • Their journey to swimming is marked by personal tragedies, including accidents caused by negligence, highlighting their resilience.

Jenisha Kadayat, Harka Man Gharti, and Member Singi Syangba are defying limitations as they train for the upcoming Asian Para Games in Japan. Kadayat, who is immobile below the waist due to a spinal cord injury, warms up from her wheelchair. Gharti, who has no arms, stretches his legs and torso, while Syangba, whose left leg is amputated below the knee, balances on one foot. Their dedication is evident as they execute laps with professional precision in a 25-meter pool.

Finding an accessible pool for para-athletes is exceptionally hard.

— Saroj ShresthaPresident of the Nepal Para Swimming Association, explaining the difficulties in securing training facilities.

The trio, along with a fourth swimmer, Srijana Sarki, has been training at the Refresh Recreation Centre in Bauddha for five months. Finding an accessible swimming facility in Nepal is a significant challenge, making their current location, secured at a heavy discount, a necessity. The swimming complex in Satdobato is too distant for regular commutes.

Their daily routine begins precisely at 7:30 am for a one-hour session. The journey to the pool is an ordeal in itself. Kadayat navigates Kathmandu's traffic on a scooter retrofitted with auxiliary wheels. Gharti and Syangba, who uses a prosthetic leg, walk the short distance from their homes.

The swimming complex in Satdobato is simply too far for them to commute regularly. We are deeply grateful to this centre for giving us pool access at a heavy discount.

— Saroj ShresthaPresident of the Nepal Para Swimming Association, expressing gratitude for the current training venue.

These athletes' paths to the pool are marked by profound personal struggles. Kadayat's life changed in an instant on November 2, 2013, when a falling tree, cut down without warning or safety measures, caused her spinal cord injury. Gharti's life was also irrevocably altered by an accident around the time of the devastating 2015 earthquake, though details of his injury are not fully elaborated in the provided text.

It was on November 2, 2013. Some people were chopping down a tree. There were no warning signs to alert passersby, and no one standing by to tell people to stop. The tree fell on top of me. The next thing I knew was that I had lost all movement in the lower half of my body from a spinal cord injury.

— Jenisha KadayatRecounting the accident that led to her spinal cord injury.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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