Road to Paralympics 2024: Teenage swimmer Raheem look for ranking points

By Susil Premalal  

Promising 19-year-old swimmer Naveed Raheem of D. S. Senanayake College, Colombo is the youngest in the eight member Sri Lankan contingent for the 2024 Paris Paralympics Games from August 28 to September 8 in France.  

Naveed secured his spot at the 2024 Paris Paralympics Games through a swimming qualification Bipartite Commission Invitation Slot.  

Despite the heavy odds against him Naveed believed that he could achieve at least a personal best timing and an improvement in his World Rankings at the Paris Paralympics Games.  
Naveed, who is the only swimmer in the Sri Lankan Paralympics contingent, will participate in the Men’s So9 400m freestyle event on August 29.  

Over 600 competitors are set to compete in the 2024 Paralympics Games swimming championship.  

Naveed who hails from Ragama, in the Gampaha District, is a determined young swimmer. His journey in swimming began rather unexpectedly in 2015 when he was asked to join the training when he was watching his brother at practices.  

Born with disability Naveed, has demonstrated remarkable abilities that have captured the world’s attention.  

His first international representation came at the 2017 Dubai Asian Youth Para Games where he competed in swimming events. At just 16, Naveed achieved a significant milestone by winning a Bronze Medal in the 400m freestyle event at the 2021 Asian Youth Para Games.  

At the 2022 Asian Para Games, Naveed defied expectations by securing another Bronze Medal in the 400m freestyle, leaving everyone amazed.  

In 2024, Naveed was selected to the finals at the Para Swimming World Championships held in Singapore, showcasing his growth as a young athlete.  

It has been 20 years since Sri Lanka last represented in swimming in the Paralympics and Naveen is determined to perform at his best and to improve his World Rankings.