Bangladeshi swimmer Mahfizur Rahman Shagor will be participating in the Men’s 50 metres freestyle event in swimming today. Mahfizur will take part in the fourth heat of the morning, which gets underway at 10 am London time. Shagor’s personal best time of 24.82 is the poorest among the eight competitors in his heat group and he will be lucky to finish anything other than last.
The swimmer was under no illusions though and admitted that the transition from swimming in Bangladesh to doing so in London had been extremely difficult.
“The water here is very cold and I have great difficulty adjusting to it,” admitted Shagor. The weather in London has not helped the swimmer’s preparations either.
“The first day when we came to the Village, it was so windy. I immediately caught a cold and have had to train through it,” he said.
Shagor was having better luck in the Village though and had already met a number of legendary athletes.
“I took a picture with Novak Djokovic and with Kobe Bryant,” said Shagor. However, although he has met the great Michael Phelps a number of times, the US swimmer has steadfastly refused to pose for a photo.
“Phelps said that he does not take pictures while he is competing. I asked him a number of times, but he always declined politely.
“I have spoken to him a few times though and meet him often in practice.”
Shagor has also managed to meet Usain Bolt as the Jamaican was flag-bearer for his country, like Shagor for Bangladesh.
“He was surrounded by security, but I still managed to get a shot with him,” said Shagor.
Perhaps the experience of being around so many world-class athletes would rub off on Shagor. The swimmer certainly hopes so.
“Meeting the stars, seeing how they train and their routine you understand just how far away from them we are. We are as different as day and night,” admitted Shagor.
-With The Daily Star input
