Neco Sky Park Residents of Pimple Nilakh Shine at National Finswimming Championship

Neco Sky Park Society, situated in Vishal Nagar, Pimple Nilakh, Pune, witnessed a remarkable achievement as three of its residents participated in the 6th All India Finswimming Federation Cup 2023 held in New Delhi and brought home a total of 10 medals for the Maharashtra Team. This was a historic moment for the society as it marked their debut in this prestigious national championship.

The competition took place at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Swimming Pool in Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi, from September 28 to October 2, 2023, and drew finswimmers from all over India. Organized by the Underwater Sports Authority of India, the event aimed to promote the sport of Finswimming and inspire young athletes to embrace it.

Under the expert guidance of Coach Shirish Patki, four swimmers from Neco Sky Park Society participated in various age categories and exhibited exceptional talent:

1. Samiksha Chaurasia (age group – 30 to 34 years) – Clinched an impressive 5 gold medals and 1 silver medal.
2. Shirish Patki (age group – 60 to 64 years) – Demonstrated his prowess with 1 gold medal and 2 bronze medals.
3. Sanskriti Saxena (age group – below 11 years) – Showed promise by winning 1 silver medal.

Additionally, Hitansh Momaya (age group – below 13 years) participated in four events and secured a commendable fourth place in two of them.

Notably, both Samiksha and Sanskriti received their coaching from Shirish Patki, a retired State Bank Of India employee and a national-level swimmer. Their training initially took place in the society’s swimming pool and later at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Stadium in Balewadi, under the guidance of coaches Prasad, Deepak, and senior coach Balaji Kendre.

This remarkable victory has not only boosted the morale of the winners but has also ignited their passion for future competitions. It is indeed a source of inspiration for sports enthusiasts in Pune and throughout India. Samiksha, an IT professional, and Sanskriti, a Class 5 student, along with their coach Shirish Patki, have made their community and city proud with their outstanding achievements in the field of finswimming.