Navi Mumbai: In a proud moment for the city, 16-year-old Mantra Mangesh Kurhe, a student of Father Agnel Junior College, Vashi, and a swimmer at the Navi Mumbai Sports Association (NMSA), secured first place in the 2 km Oceanman international swimming competition held recently in Malaysia.
Competing in the 12 to 19 age group, Mantra completed the race in an impressive time of 36 minutes and 23 seconds, outpacing hundreds of swimmers from around the world. Her stellar performance earned her not only the top position in her category but also the championship trophy for being the fastest female swimmer across all age groups in the 2 km category. The event witnessed participation from swimmers representing 37 nations, as reported by The Times of India.
Despite choppy and challenging sea conditions, Mantra emerged victorious, said her coach, Sanket Sawant, who has been training her for several years. Her success in Malaysia has now qualified her for the upcoming World Championship in Dubai.
Trupti Kurhe, Mantra’s mother and strongest supporter, mentioned, "It was great to challenge the top long-distance swimmers from various countries. Though the task was too gruelling, I gave my cent per cent to touch the finishing line first among the lot," as reported. She also added that the Mantra is an expert in outdoor as well as indoor swimming disciplines.
Two years ago, Mantra set a remarkable record by swimming 38 km from Dharamtar to the Gateway of India in 7 hours and 51 minutes. This achievement surpassed all previous female records for the Dharamtar route and was acknowledged by both the Asia Book of Records and the India Book of Records. At the 2024 Union Territory Beach Games held in Diu, she proudly represented Maharashtra and was the only swimmer from the state to win a medal.
