Haldwani: The ambience at the newly-built swimming complex here is electric with packed stands cheering the participants of the 25th National Games. Some of India’s best – including Srihari Nataraj, Sajan Prakash and the promising Dhinidhi Desinghu – are making a splash in the pool.
Srihari and Prakash have played an important role in taking Indian swimming forward. With a new season beginning they have returned refreshed and have set their eyes on different targets.
With the experience of two Olympics behind him, Srihari wants to add 200m freestyle to his backstroke events. The 23-year-old has dominated backstroke at home and holds three national records. At the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, Srihari also broke the national record in 200m freestyle, clocking 1:49.05 to finish 10th overall. That has given him a different perspective to his swimming.
“I am going to focus on freestyle this time. The 200m free is going to be my main event along with 50m and 100m backstroke. I have a few things in mind and need to plan,” Srihari told HT.
“I had a brilliant freestyle season in 2021. In 2023 too I was very consistent. I had a good Asian Games. I am just enjoying it. I train in freestyle much better that backstroke. So, I am just adding it to my roster; I have seen it helps my backstroke as well.”
At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, he qualified for the 50m and 100m backstroke finals and broke the 200m backstroke national record clocking 2:00.84.
“A lot of things needed to be worked on in the new cycle. I didn’t have a great 2024. I am going to make a few changes. I need to execute my races a little better. I have no thoughts about the Los Angeles Olympics right now. There is a lot of time ahead. I will plan till the (2026) Asian Games and CWG – they are coming around the same time. For this season, it’s the World University Games and then we have the Asian swimming championships.
“I am happy with my performances here. I had some good swims, it’s not been long since I got back into full training so I am pleased with the way things are going here,” said Srihari, who won the 200m freestyle clocking 1:50.57.
Lot more to prove: Sajan
The five-month break has helped Sajan Prakash rejuvenate. Coming off a shoulder injury, he is not pushing himself on the pool. On Day 1, Sajan finished third in 100m butterfly (54.52s). Tamil Nadu’s Rohit Benediction won in 53.89 seconds and Maharashtra’s Mihir Ambre took second in 54.24secs. But Sajan roared back to win his pet 200m butterfly on Saturday with a timing of 2:01.40 secs, leaving his rivals far behind. Sajan’s national mark is 1:59.38.
The 31-year-old says his career is far from over, and that he still has swimming left in him. Finishing on the podium at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan is at the top of his mind.
“The 100m fly on the first day, it hurt a bit because I could not win. But with the amount of training that I did, I am happy with the timing. It’s only three weeks since I started training. I had to lose weight – six kg – and comeback, which is challenging. People from outside don’t really see what it takes to come back. They just see that my career is over because I won a bronze. But I am happy.”
While the two champion swimmers have renewed their goals, others need to catch up. Srihari feels the younger lot needs to push them on the pool.
“We saw major improvement going into Tokyo with Sajan, myself, Kushagra (Rawat). What we have not seen is anybody taking over us in the past four years. Sajan and myself have comfortably held our spots up there.”
