Tokyo Olympics: Indian athletes who can still qualify for the Games

Swimming

Sajan Prakash (in pic) and Srihari Nataraj needs to clock the A-mark to qualify for the Olympics

Indian swimmers have never entered the Olympics by attaining the A-qualification mark and it has not been an exception this time. Srihari Nataraj came tantalizingly close to breaching the A-mark with a timing of 54.07 seconds in the men’s 100m backstroke event. He fell short by 0.22 seconds at the Uzbekistan Open Championship in Tashkent earlier this year.

Srihari Nataraj and Sajan Prakash have achieved the B-qualification mark, but that won’t secure them an Olympic berth. However, they still have a couple of competitions to better their records and earn tickets to the mega-event before the qualification window freezes on June 27.

Currently, the duo is warming up to participate in the Belgrade Tour in Serbia that is scheduled on June 19 and June 20, followed by the Settecolli International Trophy in Rome, Italy, from June 25-27. Sajan Prakash has already represented India at the 2016 Rio Olympics.