By Aida Aziz
KUALA KANGSAR: What started as using swimming as a therapy for learning difficulties such as reading struggles and mild autism since childhood, has now become a way for Nayli Wafiy Abdul Razak, 15, a teenager with disabilities from Kampar, to challenge herself by achieving various successes at the international level in swimming.
Nayli, who suffers from dyslexia (difficulty reading), dyscalculia (difficulty with calculations/mathematics), and mild autism, said that her dream of swimming in a river was finally realized after achieving many successes in the sea and lakes.
Recently, she successfully completed the challenge of swimming 11.55 kilometers in the Perak River, with a time of 2 hours and 11 minutes.
According to this student from Sekolah Seni Malaysia Perak in Sungai Siput, Perak, there are differences between these three water locations, each with its own uniqueness.
“The challenges I face while swimming: in the sea, there are dangerous creatures like jellyfish that sting. The water is light and easy to float in because it’s salty.
“In the lake, the water is heavier, and there are fish that bite people, while in the river, there is a current, but it’s easier to swim and float,” she said, always maintaining a positive mindset.
Although she acknowledges that she has many shortcomings compared to her peers, this resilient teenager has never isolated herself. Instead, she uses these challenges as motivation.
Her achievements are proof of her perseverance, having achieved numerous successes in both the arts and swimming fields.
Among her accomplishments are reaching the finals of Malaysia’s Got Talent Kids, winning a bronze medal at the Asia Art Festival, placing third in a swimming event at Bukit Merah Lake, and crossing the Labuan Strait from Papan Island to Labuan Island, a distance of 5.7 km.
Additionally, she placed 8th in the Oceanman competition in Krabi, Thailand, participated in the Malaysian Para Swimming Championship, and this year, was selected as the state swimmer for Perak.
“In short, through the swimming therapy I’ve been doing since I was eight, there have been many benefits, such as being able to read fluently and improvements in academics and life.
“Even though I have many shortcomings, this will not stop me from succeeding in the field I’ve chosen, and my dream is to swim in Switzerland,” she said, who is a para swimmer.
Meanwhile, her mother, Saidatul Shuhada Shuib, 46, has been a crucial figure in shaping her success.
Shuhada, who is also a swimming instructor, said swimming is a therapeutic method from a psychological perspective.
“I’ve done research and reading on swimming, and it can improve memory and recall abilities.
“I’ve noticed many changes in Nayli since I’ve been training her since she was 8, up until now.
“It’s also said that swimming can help with singing, indirectly helping with speech development,” she said, who has a degree in Guidance and Counseling Education.
Her hope is to see her daughter eventually help others who want to swim, while also achieving her dream of becoming an international swimmer.
“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the owner of Kem Lang Buana for fulfilling my daughter’s wish to swim in the Perak River.
“Also, to the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) for always providing strong support in imparting knowledge to Nayli, especially during swimming activities,” she said.
