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Surf's up for 9-year-old Venus Baloch

Surf's up for 9-year-old Venus Baloch

Venus, who started surging when she was 8, is the youngest student at the Ocean Surf School in Iran.
Updated 24 Aug, 2020

The confident little surfer must have been completely oblivious to the fact that her pictures would soon go viral.

Social media referred to her as the ‘nine-year-old Baloch girl who loves surfing’.

Venus Baloch is indeed nine-and-a-half years old but, unlike what was thought earlier, she does not belong to Pakistan.

Venus hails from Chabahar, a city located at the Pakistan-Iran border. She has a few relatives in Pakistan because of which she has had the chance to visit Gwadar, Panjgur and Turbat in Balochistan.

Those pictures of her surfing were taken at Ramin Beach in Chabahar. But she says that the Gwadar beach seems really amazing for surfing, though she has not surfed there as yet and plans to do so in the future.

Venus is the youngest student at the Ocean Surf School in Iran. “I started surfing when I was eight,” Venus, who only speaks Balochi and Persian, tells Eos.

“I still remember how it felt the first time. It was such an amazing feeling, moving above the water. I was a little scared initially, but it was all so exciting that my fear just vanished,” she says.

She may be rather new to surfing but her love for the sea is very old. “I love the sea. I have been accompanying my father to the beach from the time when I was a baby,” she adds.

“Both my parents and uncle are fine surfers, so it was easy for me to get into it also,” she shares. Venus’s father has an international coaching certificate. He was also a fifth position holder, twice, in their national games.

“We are like the pioneers of surfing in Iran. It’s been almost 10 years since we have been involved in surfing,” says Venus’s father Abdul Rehman Baloch, who runs the surfing school where his daughter is a student.

“Iran has changed a lot now. People often ask me about my wife and daughter being surfers, but the mindset here has changed a lot now and we are attracting more girls to surfing,” he says.

“Yes, women should cover themselves properly as there are restrictions regarding that here, and my wife is very careful about that. But as far as Venus is concerned she is still quite young. After a few years, she will have to wear a hijab costume while surfing. There is no restriction on women’s sports but the hijab is mandatory,” he explains.

Venus wants to be a world-class surfer when she grows up.

“I have a good grip on my surfing. Soon, I will be applying for regional and national tournaments,” the little surfer shares some of her plans for the future.

Asked if she has even faced any dangers while surfing, she says that she was in danger of getting badly injured once, but luck was on her side that day.

“Once while surfing, a huge broken wave, or white water as it is called, came towards me. All of a sudden it swallowed me and spun me around as if I were in a washing machine. It held me within itself. I tried getting back to the surface. I struggled a lot. Fortunately, I come up, but it was quite scary,” she says.

About her pictures going viral, she says. “I am so happy my pictures were noticed, because not many people know me but they do now. My surfing is making me famous!”

Published in Dawn, EOS, August 23rd, 2020

Comments

Hemanth Aug 24, 2020 04:47pm
Come to Goa with you parents we have a great surfing community. The only surfing community in South Asia.
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AZAM AKBAR Aug 24, 2020 04:59pm
Brave Girl, Wish you Good Luck and Success in your life.
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Brownflower Aug 24, 2020 05:41pm
This kid is awesome!
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Ali da Malanga Aug 24, 2020 06:11pm
You GO girl!!!
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Yusuf usman Aug 24, 2020 06:31pm
Great
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Ahmad Aug 24, 2020 06:36pm
Amazing! I wish you best in your passion.
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Rashid Aug 24, 2020 07:56pm
Oceans and mountains can't stand in the face of passion. Keep going Venus, we are all cheering for you.
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Ali Mehdi Aug 24, 2020 08:31pm
You’re named Venus and you’re already a prodigy. What freedom you’d be feeling to surf without any bounds. Only the sea is the limit.
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Zeeshan Ahmed Aug 24, 2020 09:23pm
Excellent. A ray of light in the darkness.
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St. Mercury Aug 24, 2020 09:24pm
Lot of luck. I hope you do well young lady.
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Gulshan Omar Aug 24, 2020 09:42pm
We know Baloch girls/ women are very courageous and progressive. Go ahead Brave girl, If you get a chance also come to MAUI ISLAND, USA, the toughest Surfing ground in the world.
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Irshaad New York Aug 25, 2020 12:06am
Go West, and you can practice to your heart's content. Plus you can get the latest surfboards and the latest equipment. Also you can get a job in the surfing field.
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naeem Aug 25, 2020 12:29am
@Hemanth And the biggest drug scene! Let her surf in Baluchistan . Gawadar is developing a budding surf community minus the drug and alcohol.
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Reader Aug 25, 2020 02:05am
Great Talent
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Dave Aug 25, 2020 05:36am
This is a nice story. A young person that has good family support for her interests as well as her being quite confident in her sporting ability. This young lady has a leg up on the majority people her age (and many adults) and will be most successful in her future endeavors I'm sure. Continued progress for her and her family.
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Bipul Aug 25, 2020 07:19am
In Pakistan, such girls are honoured.
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GM Aug 25, 2020 09:20am
Wow hidden talent. Excellent one. She must be promoted for International competition
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Alih Aug 25, 2020 10:53am
@Hemanth, Goans are running away from Goa and you are asking her to go there? You made me laugh.
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