Interview with Sajan Prakash: "FINA recognized my talent and sponsored my training for World Championship"

Prakash posing with his 2015 National Games medals

The 2015 National Games held in Kerala saw both the best athlete awards being handed out to swimmers, indicating a tectonic quality rise within its talent pool. The highest medal winner with six golds and three silvers, Sajan Prakash has now set his sights on Olympic qualification at next week’s FINA World Aquatics Championship.

After representing India at the 2014 Asian Games, the 21-year old is looking to translate his domestic form into international glory by consolidating India’s first swimming spot at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

He said, “I have been training in Phuket, Thailand over the past few months, under the watchful guidance of Spanish Coach Miguel Lopez Alvarado. The training techniques are much tougher as compared to India, but it’s definitely helping me shave off seconds from my time.”

Lopez, the former national coach of Spain, more recently guided three swimmers, Pablo Alvarez, Sebastian Rodriguez and Pablo Reinaldo to Paralympic success. He also coached 2012 London Olympics semi-finalist Beatriz Gomez Cortez and Olympic triathlon silver medallist, Javier Gomez.

“Communication was a bit of a problem before, but now it’s fine. I’m getting better as I am easily swimming 7-8 kms every day and making changes to my style. The National Games definitely motivated me, but the World Championship will be much tougher,” said Prakash.

He is set to participate in the 200m Butterfly and 1500m freestyle events on August 4th and 8th.

Sports Ministry and IOA had promised help: Prakash

However, Prakash’s efforts of putting Indian swimming on the world map have not triggered any sort of financial assistance from the Sports Ministry and Indian Olympic Association (IOA). He said, “During the National Games, officials had promised me support for my training abroad. But, I am yet to receive any help and they are not even responding.”

The governing body for world swimming, FINA, recognized Prakash’s talent and offered him a full scholarship to train in Thailand for the World Championships. He added, “Just a month’s practice before an event like this is not ideal. You need to train several months and I am grateful to FINA. However, help from the Sports Ministry or IOA would have been welcome.”

After breaking the Olympic ‘B’ qualification mark, Prakash is within touching distance of the ‘A’ qualification mark, which will see him guarantee an Olympic berth in Brazil.

“We (Indian swimmers) are sacrificing a lot for the sport in India, I haven’t travelled all the way to Thailand to have fun. My sole goal from this event is to qualify for the Rio Olympics and continue my training till the event.”

Prakash has also been vocal about the sorry state of swimming infrastructure in the country. He had previously highlighted the difficulty of balancing a full-time job and concentrating on swimming, also commenting on the lack of interest shown by sports governing bodies in developing athletic ability.

The World Championship will see Prakash go shoulder to shoulder and stroke to stroke with the world’s finest, an experience which will see him garner some much needed international exposure. He said, “We don’t get to attend many international events, so yes it is a very big event for me and India as a whole.”

Come August 4, we just might see Prakash book India’s swimming spot at the 2016 Rio Olympics.