In US, Shams dreams of Para Asian games

Para swimmer Mohammad Shams Aalam Shaikh wants to utilise the Global Sports Mentorship Program (GSMP) in the US to raise awareness in the disabled community through sports, on his return.

At the same time, the Dharavi resident is exposed to world-class training facilities to enhance his swimming skills abroad. But the 31-year-old is still struggling to find sponsors, as he wishes to represent India at the Para Asian Games in August.

Doug Garner, the assistant director of campus recreation for adapted sports, University of Texas, Arlington, is mentoring Shaikh currently. “My name was recommended by US Consulate General, Mumbai,” said Shaikh, who is also the secretary of the Para Sports Association, Mumbai.

“I am learning a lot here like how to be a leader and disability advocate. I’m mainly focusing on how to create awareness in the disability community through sports,” he said from Arlington, Texas, where he is undergoing a five-week immersion program initiated by the US Department of State, in partnership with University of Tennessee.

“There are world-cass facilities here and I’m learning how to train independently. I am also a self-motivated leader. However, GSMP has boosted my confidence and charged me to come back with an active plan to make a difference in Mumbai and across India,” he added.

He’s the Limca Book of World Record holder for longest open sea swimming (paraplegic) in 2014, and later set a record for having completed the longest open-sea swimming by a paraplegic. Shaikh covered eight kilometre in a span of four hours and four minutes in the open seas of Goa.  

The occasional motivational speaker, who holds an MBA in HR, is still focusing on making it big in swimming. He’s is targeting Para Asian Games before realising his eventual dream of playing in the Para Olympic Games. However, lack of sponsorship is throwing his swimming career at the cross roads.

“I am a probable para-swimmer to participate in forthcoming Asian Para Games 2018. As the minimum qualifications standard released by Asian Paralympics committee, I’ve met them successfully. However, I need to play an international championship to improve my Asian ranking for the year 2018 before August 20,” he said.

Paralysed in the lower body, Shaikh will now participate in an event in Great Britain next month. “I am going to participate in World Series Para Swimming championship to be held in Sheffield from May 28 to June 3 which will definitely help me to qualify for the upcoming Para Asian Games,” he adds, with hope.