Due to school work and other commitments, we were not always able to make time for practice, however, we showed our dedication towards representing the Ascend Swim Team at the annual Oberoi International swim meet. The OIS campus is always a marvel to look at, as the team spent its time in the spacious lobby before the event eventually commenced, during which we proceeded to the terrace via the lifts. The lifts! Here at Ascend you would need a serious injury to use the elevators, oh and you better have a nurses pass to back that up or your walking regardless. Before we got to see the terrace though, we were required to gather for an assembly in a public space on the campus where we met the mascot, a generally happy figure dressed as a cheetah. Personally, it creeped me out a bit, but it seemed to cheer people up which is something we definitely needed (especially considering we had to show up at 6:45am). Tarana Ramchandran, one of the swimmers on the team commented, saying “there was one of them wearing fun bunny ears and greeting the students”.
This swim meet was divided into grades instead of the usual age categories which seemed like a slightly more complicated and arguably unfair system as children of the same age were unable to compete against each other. Additionally, there were also two pools on the terrace of the building, a 50m and a 25m. It was decided that the grades 10-12 would participate in the 50m pool and the lower grades in the 25m pool. The entire swim team showing up for this event despite some not showing up for swim practice prior, really highlighted everyone’s dedication to the team. I personally had not attended practice in a month due to priorities with the DP curriculum, however other members such as Aarav Chokani who had not attended practice for several months at a time, still showed up and ended up winning two medals in freestyle and breaststroke. As he also inspirationally commented, “Swimming is an individual sport and it requires a lot of mental determination to achieve the best outcomes and Im proud to say that I won 2 medals despite being out of practice for a while.”
However, our one shortcoming was the relay. The competition had a rule where any 4 students from grade 6-12 could participate in the relay race. Most schools took advantage of this policy to create a team of older swimmers, gaining an advantage. The Ascend swim team had only 4 male participants in total, one of which was a student from the lower MYP. The female division could not participate due to a lack of members. However, we still did our best and managed to get a considerable timing, factoring in the context of the present circumstances.
The organization of this event was, to put it no other way, marvelous. Considering that it started at around 7:15 am and that each swimmer had to participate in at least 4 races, it was expected to be over by 12pm. However, the organization of the events, as well as the scheduling, allowed it to be over around a full hour and a half before the expected time. This is why in addition, what made this event so enjoyable was how it compared to the ISSO of 2023 which most members of the team had attended. Personally as a student in DP1, the time in which this event took place was really helpful in both allowing me to compete and letting me return to my deadlines in my different subjects.
The event in OIS’s campus was truly enjoyable and it allowed us to get more comfortable with the overall atmosphere of a packed swimming competition. As Arvid Bhatia, a member of the team said, “It was well-organized and it showed a good demonstration of sportsmanship.” further highlighting the sort of competitive spirit the overall event gave off.’’
