Jul - Aug 2002 View the PDF - Swimnews Online

MAKING A DAILY DIFFERENCE,CHANGING THE DIRECTION OF A NATIONNikki DrydenOn the opening morning of the CommonwealthGames, Pakistan’s 18-year-old Sana Abdul Wahidmade her country’s swimming debut in the 50 fly.Before that, no Pakistani woman had ever competedin an international competition outside a Muslimcountry. “I am very proud [about being the firstwoman from Pakistan to swim outside a Muslimcountry],” she said after her swim of 33.53 in the 50fly. “It was very good to be able to swim with so manyexperienced swimmers.”Her 12-year-old teammate Kiran Khan madeher debut on the second day, swimming the 100 backin 1:16.07. She placed seventh in her heat of seven,touching to a rousing cheer from the impressedcrowd. While her time may not be competitive withthe rest of the Commonwealth swimmers, it is for herage. “It’s great to be here, and it’s good to be able tocompete internationally,” she said. “We have 30 ormore very good female swimmers in Pakistan, butunfortunately, they haven’t qualified this time.”Veena Masud is the woman behind the creationof women’s swimming in Pakistan; before that shehelped break down the barriers to civilian men’sswimming in the early 1990s. Masud’s 10-year-oldson Kamal started beating men from the armedforces (the group that dominated swimming inPakistan), and at the 1992 Asian Championships inHiroshima, she was approached by then Hong Konghead coach Bill Sweetenham. He told her that herson had potential and asked if she would send him toHong Kong for training. She and her husband saidno, but Sweetenham began to fax her workouts, andMasud started coaching her son.Kamal went on to compete in theCommonwealth Games in 1994, the Olympics in1996, and was recruited to swim at MercersburgAcademy in high school, and John’s Hopkins foruniversity. But when Kamal left for the US, Masuddecided she needed to give others the same opportunityher son had had. “My son’s success had aroused a lotof attention from the young children in my city, so Iand four other women formed a women’sorganization to run swim meets for girls.” All theirmeets were run within the Islamic Code, and theywere such a success that they approached thegovernment about sending a team to the IslamicWomen’s Games in which only women compete,coach, and officiate.The team first competed in 1997 in Tehran atthe second Islamic Games, coming home withhandfuls of medals. But the girls wanted to competeat a higher level, so Masud began to think of ways towork around the Islamic Code. She thought, “If thetrack and field athletes were allowed to compete inlong tights, perhaps the swimmers could wear thenew body suits and compete in mixed competition.”So when Masud spoke to the press, she began to referto the body suits as the Islamic costumes, and whenshe proposed her idea to the government they neverquestioned it.Wahid and Khan were selected for this year’sGames because they are the two fastest women inPakistan. At 18, Wahid is one of the pioneers ofwomen’s swimming in Pakistan. She is the defendingNational Champion for five years running and holdseight national records. Masud says, “Sana is extremelycompetitive and she just wants to grow and compete.This experience will make a big difference.”Khan is just 12 years old, and is also a nationalchampion, but because of her age, the objective is togroom Khan at this competition. “Kiran is veryyoung,” says Masud, “but she is a good swimmer. Sheis coached by her father, who is very keen andmotivated.”Five years ago, there were no women competingin swimming in Pakistan. Now in her home city ofKarachi, Masud has meets with over 250 girls, andshe estimates there are over 10,000 women swimmingin Pakistan. There are clubs in every major city andwork is being done now to get girls and families in therural areas interested and competing in swimming.“It will take time,” says Masud. “But the key will beto work in the smaller towns to grow the sport.” Evenin the more conservative province of Peshawar,bordering on Afghanistan, there is even a team of fivegirls asking Masud for her training and technicalexpertise.As far as Masud fitting into the bigger picture, apicture where women swimming in the Muslim nationof Pakistan seems in the shadow of 9/11 to be a majorpolitical and social feat, Masud is very humble of herrole. “All those political agendas seem to turn into alot of ego trips. I am an educator and coach and Ibelieve you have to make change with the peoplearound you, and it will catch like a virus.”With a great deal of understanding andcompassion, Masud is passionate about the changeshe is making to peoples lives. “There is so muchconfusion in the world because of religion. Look at allthe wars being fought because of it. I feel that takesaway from what religion means. For me, making adifference every day, a difference to someone’s life,that’s my life. Nothing else is important, and that iswhy I do this.”but said she was buoyed by the English crowd. “Youdo have last minute nerves, but the race went exactlyas I had planned. I wanted to take it out from the startand keep building on my lead.”Day Five, Saturday, August 3Canada’s Mike Mintenko managed to break up theAussie flying duo of Geoff Huegill and Adam Pine byplacing second to Huegill in the 100 fly. Tank andSkippy battled it out to the 75, until Huegill surged tovictory. Both men were off their best times, finishingin 52.36 and 52.80. “I felt great to the 75,” saidMintenko. “I just have to work on the last 10 metres,and hopefully in three weeks at Pan Pacs, it will comethrough.”With a kilt-clad team to cheer her on, Scotland’sAlison Sheppard defended her title in the 50 free.Sheppard has perfected the first 25 metres of thisevent, getting a body-length lead by half way. “I’m sopleased to do that in front of a home crowd,” saidSheppard. “I didn’t look where anyone else was, I justwanted to swim my own race.” Canada’s LauraPomeroy was fifth after breaking the Canadian recordwith a 25.85 in the heats. “That wasn’t as fast as Iwould have liked, but I am happy to be in the final,”said Pomeroy. “It is really exciting to be in the finalas I wasn’t seeded top eight coming into this meet. Soto get fifth in my first international meet is prettygood.”It was one, two, three for England as JamesGibson, Adam Whitehead, and Darren Mew swept the50 breast. Mew missed a medal in the 100, so wasparticularly happy. “We came here determined to gofor a 1-2-3 and now we’ve done it,” said Mew. “It’stremendous and a real boost to the team for the restof the night and the rest of the Games.”England continued to sizzle, sweeping theirsecond event in one night. This time it was thewomen’s turn in the 200 back. Sarah Price led fromstart to finish with her flawless backstroke; her headis completely still while she swims, with a fluid rolland steady kick. Price’s first 50 was under worldrecordpace, but she faded slightly in the secondhundred to finish with her fifth PB of the meet, a2:10.58. The rest of the race was up for grabs forwhomever was tough enough to step up. Two Englishgirls, Jo Fargus and Katy Sexton, did just that, finishingin second and third with 2:11.60 and 2:12.01respectively.“I’m over the moon,” said Price. “I was sonervous because these girls are so tough. It’s so greatthat we got 1-2-3!”Perhaps the most anticipated event of thecompetition, the men’s 100 back, saw Matt Welsh outfor blood and Ian Thorpe out for his sixth gold. Thequestion on everyone’s mind: Could Thorpedo beatWelsh? Well, it was not to be. Welsh led from wall to(continued on page 12)10SWIMNEWS / JULY-AUGUST 2002