Georgian swimming
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Georgian swimming comprises several styles unique to
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
: “Lazuri” ( Free Colchian), “Hands and feet bound Kolkhuri” (Military Colchian), “Apkhazuri” ( Abkhazian), “Okribula”, “Iberiuli” ( Iberian), “Takhvia” and partly “Khashuruli” and “Kizikuri”. More traditional movements of the extremities are restricted or barred and forward motion is accomplished by
dolphin A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (the ...
-like undulation of hips and paired feet. These styles emulate the motions of mammals such as the
seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, or "true seal" ** Fur seal * Seal (emblem), a device to imp ...
, dolphin,
sea lion Sea lions are pinnipeds characterized by external ear flaps, long foreflippers, the ability to walk on all fours, short and thick hair, and a big chest and belly. Together with the fur seals, they make up the family Otariidae, eared seals. ...
,
whale Whales are a widely distributed and diverse group of fully aquatic placental marine mammals. As an informal and colloquial grouping, they correspond to large members of the infraorder Cetacea, i.e. all cetaceans apart from dolphins and ...
, otter, and beaver, which have evolved adaptations to water that enable them to attain an optimal swimming ability. The Georgian style of swimming ( Colchian and Iberian style) was revived by the swimmer Henry Kuprashvili. He laid foundation of Georgian styles of
swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...
study process and established the
school A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes comp ...
of swimming.


History

In the beginning of the 1960s, Levan Kursua (1887-1969), a resident of the seaside village of Ergeta (
Anaklia Anaklia () is a town and seaside resort in western Georgia. It is located in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, at the place where the Enguri River flows into the Black Sea, near the border with Abkhazia. History The earliest settlement on ...
) in Mingrelia (
Colchis In Greco-Roman geography, Colchis (; ) was an exonym for the Georgian polity of Egrisi ( ka, ეგრისი) located on the coast of the Black Sea, centered in present-day western Georgia. Its population, the Colchians are generally though ...
), retold a Georgian legend about Colchian (
Lazica Lazica ( ka, ეგრისი, ; lzz, ლაზიკა, ; grc-gre, Λαζική, ; fa, لازستان, ; hy, Եգեր, ) was the Latin name given to the territory of Colchis during the Roman/Byzantine period, from about the 1st centur ...
) and Iberian warriors who, as part of their training, used a style of swimming where their hands and feet were bound firmly. His narrative proposed that while, initially daunting, this style of swimming could also be used as a regimen to develop discipline and physical stamina in martial culture: * psychological preparation of the warrior - a person with hands and feet bound firmly to the body, forcefully exposed to water is made to confront fear of drowning or water in a way intended to develop resources that enable them to overcome psychological barriers encountered in various other extreme conditions. * chances for escape by water for a warrior taken captive (as from a ship or a bridge) were better even if they were bound The revival of these unique Georgian style of swimming started at the “Lagune Vere” sports complex in
Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura River with a population of approximately 1.5 million p ...
. * One of the Georgian style of swimming, military-training style “Hands and feet bound Kolkhuri” (Military Colchian), was revived when on January 28, 2001, many journalists and other spectators witnessed an unusual feat that served to acquaint Georgian swimming to the world. A man, with straightened legs together and arms at the side, bound at the chest, hips, thighs and ankles, jumped into the water. Henry Kuprashvili was the first man to uninterruptedly swim 2 kilometers in the Kolkhuri style. Georgian records were set for TV reporting purchases by
Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency was esta ...
and the
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. ne ...
. American TV channel
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called the swimmer the “human dolphin” and broadcast his interview several times. * In 2002, for the first time in history, a successful swim was completed across the 12 km
Dardanelles The Dardanelles (; tr, Çanakkale Boğazı, lit=Strait of Çanakkale, el, Δαρδανέλλια, translit=Dardanéllia), also known as the Strait of Gallipoli from the Gallipoli peninsula or from Classical Antiquity as the Hellespont (; ...
strait in 3 hours and 15 minutes by a bound Henry Kuprashvili. The endeavour took place under the direction and support of “Laguna Vere” and the sport society “Dinamo” (K.Narchemashvili).Untitled Document
* In 2003, under the auspices of “Laguna Vere”, 12 students of Demireli College temporarily convened the first Georgian swimming styles experimental study group. * On June 7, 2004, the first ever competition in the “Free Kolkhuri” and “Hands and feet bound Kolkhuri” (Military Colchian) styles was held at “Laguna Vere”. On May 12, 2006, 60 swimmers took part in the competition (including 10 from the city of
Rustavi Rustavi ( ka, რუსთავი ) is a city in the southeast of Georgia, in the region of Kvemo Kartli and southeast of capital Tbilisi. It has a population of 130,100 (2021), making it the fourth most populous city in Georgia. Its economy is ...
). * On September 3, 2006, “Laguna Vere” students Nino Basilaia, Ani Sichinava (age 11), Irakli Shengelia (age 12) and Nastia Grivach (age 13) became the first to swim “Hands and feet bound Kolkhuri” (Military Colchian) across the " Tbilisi Sea". A swim across the Dardanelles Strait is awaiting sponsorship. The second Tbilisi Sea group “Hands and feet bound Kolkhuri” (Military Colchian) swim was held on August 30, 2007. First place was taken by 13-year-old Irakli Shengelia, whose time of 37 minutes and 53 seconds bested 2006's results of 40:47:00. * A competition in “Rachuli” swimming for people over age 70 was held at “Laguna Vere” on June 23, 2007. It was supported by the international association “930” (M.Malazonia) and met with high public interest. The prizewinners were: Shalva Kvintradze (age 78), Kakhi Kavsadze (age 73), and Givi Gadelia (age 72). * The American Stephany Hillborn, a journalist from the newspaper ''Georgia Today'', is the first foreigner who has studied “Free Kolkhuri”. The competition among journalists was held at “Laguna Vere” on July 21, 2007. Hillborn swam “Free Kolkhuri” and won first place. She finished ahead of
Rustavi 2 Rustavi 2 ( ka, რუსთავი 2, tr, "Rustavi ori") is a Georgian free-to-air television channel based in Tbilisi, that was founded in 1994 in the town of Rustavi (hence its name). It is an associate member of the European Broadcasting ...
journalist Khatuna Nozadze by 1 second. * Georgian swimmer Anna Lominadze became the first woman to swim across the Dardanelles strait in the “Hands and feet bound Kolkhuri” (Military Colchian) style on August 30, 2012, swimming 5,500 meters in 50 minutes. Dimitri Dick, originally from
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, is the first Georgian coach who was actively inculcated in the styles of Georgian swimming as part of the professional sportsmen training program at “Laguna Vere”. Georgian swimming styles are overseen there by chief coach Manana Zambakhidze.


References


Further reading

*Hero of the Dardanelles: Seven Unique Developments. 2003. Editor-in-Chief: Prof.Doc. O. Gogiashvili. Tbilisi, Media-Holding Georgian Times, Text on Georgian, English, and Russian languages UDC:796.092.2 + 797.2(479.22

*''Kuprashvili H.'' 2005. Georgian swimming. Textbook. second publishing,Kutaisi State University, Kutaisi, UDC:797.2.034.2(479.22) + 797.2(075

*''Kuprashvili H.'' 2004. Georgian swimming. Textbook. Tbilisi, . UDC: 797.2.034.2(479.22) + 797.2(075

* ''Cavaliere Charles.'' The human dolphin's philosophy of life. ''Georgia Today''. Issue #, 11–17.07.2003 * ''Cosmo Lepota L.'' Two Swimming Systems: Colchian and Sufi-ryu Suizyutsu plus Celtic swimming system technique. 2017. B0777QLPC8


External links


Colchian-Iberian style of swimming
* * * *


Video interview with Henry Kuprashvili
from
Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency was esta ...



The First Bulgarian Swimming Site - Иван Цанов.Колхидо-иберийското плуване


(rus.) * ttp://www.mediafaxfoto.ro/photo_preview.php?photoId=2495490 Mediafaxfoto {{DEFAULTSORT:Georgian Swimming Swimming in Georgia (country) Swimming styles