Most people choose to lead a peaceful life without much physical activities after retirement. Kurian Jacob from Thidanad, Kottayam, has decided to do something different following his retirement. After having a 40-year-long career, he decided to try his hands in swimming. He has reportedly qualified for the European Masters Games. Let us know more about his inspiring story here:
At the age of 74, when most people prefer to stay at home, he decided to explore the world through swimming. He began swimming at a very young age in a local river but after retirement, he thought to pursue his passion. Kurian reportedly worked as a banker for 40 years. He stayed in several countries due to work purposes. In 2017, he retired from his job at the age of 70. Following that, he came to know about the Masters Swimming competitions from one of his friends. It sparked an urge to try the sport and started taking rigorous training to follow his passion. He practised regularly and maintained a proper diet for better results.
Kurian won several state-level competitions and qualified for national-level competitions. By 2021 he had around 20 national-level medals. In the 2023 European Masters Games that was held in Finland, the 74-year-old man represented India. In that competition, he bagged three silver medals and two bronze medals. He also emerged as an individual champion at the 2024 National Masters Games held in Hyderabad. In that event, he won gold in all the five events he participated. He reportedly participated in 50, 100, 200, and 400 freestyle, and breaststroke competitions.
Kurian has been keen towards sports since his childhood days. He excelled in sports like discus throw, javelin, relay, and shot put. At the age of 23, he joined Federal Bank but always tried to carry on swimming. Even while he was posted in other countries, he made sure that he got time to practice swimming daily. He presently lives with his wife Sunu Kurian, a retired teacher.
The man from Kerala is an inspiration for thousands of retired people in the country. He presently practices for several hours every day. Kurian’s daily routine also includes gym sessions. Recently, he registered himself for the Pan American Games, which is set to be held in Cleveland.
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