Tokyo-bound Sajan Prakash on road to qualification: 'We tried to stay focused on goal'

Sajan Prakash became the first-ever Indian swimmer to qualify for the Olympic Games by making it within the ‘A’ standard time, clocking in at 1:56:38 seconds in the men’s 200m butterfly event at the Sette Colli Trophy in Rome, Italy. The Games 'A' standard was set at 1:56.48 seconds and Sajan completed the race 0.10 seconds faster at the FINA-accredited Olympic qualifier.

Sajan distances himself from all “nonsense” around him

Sajan Prakash spoke at a SAI organised virtual meeting where he said, "There were many comments, even before the lockdown that I was old and am not getting any improvements." 

"Keeping all that aside, I think the important thing was the support system believed in me. My friends backed me and I didn't lose hope in myself. I'm 27-year-old and a swimming event like this needs a lot of confidence in you. It's all the work we did and we tried to stay focused on our goal and sticking towards our business and not letting any nonsense come inside. With that we could achieve it," he said.

A realistic target for Sajan at the Tokyo Olympics

When asked about a realistic target at the Summer Games, he said, "I would say cut down another 0.5 seconds and it's possible in this case and that will take me 1:55:8, something that will surely get me into the semi-finals, and maybe towards the final as well. Exactly we have 20 days for the meet. We have done all the work before the qualifications, it's about working on small things. I'm working on the turns, increasing more distance on that one stroke so that I reach the wall quicker and turn.”

"I'm increasing on some speed because I lack the front hand speed. I'm confident to cut down some more time so that will give me a chance to be in the semi-finals and maybe in the final as well," he added.

"I had to basically start everything from scratch. I had to work on basics so looking to qualify for another Olympics with an A cut, that wasn't the right thing to do and we had to run very short of time," he recalled. "We worked on small small things going step by step, and with my own dedication, and of my coach, today I've made it."

Sajan says that Indians lack opportunity, not talent

"As for as the Indian swimmers are concerned, they don't lack in talent but they don't have the opportunity to be consistent. We just have two competitions in our senior swimmers and that's not enough to go and test yourself all the time."

"You need to have more competitions inside India. At least that's one basic thing we need to have. I think if that comes in and the government supports more towards that and more sports science and biomechanics coming towards one goal. I think there will be changes in the future."

"In my opinion, it's not just willpower only, it's a package. The sportsperson should have all the qualities to put together to achieve at that point. It's a combined effort. For me, it's the support system that brought me to this level," he concluded.

Great news for Indian fans as three swimmers qualify for Summer Games

Srihari Natraj also qualified directly when he clocked in at 53.77 seconds in the men’s 100m backstroke in Rome to make the cut.

The third swimmer, Maana Patel has made the cut through the ‘University quota’.

This marks the first time that India will have three swimmers take part in the Tokyo Olympics.

(Image Credits: @swim_sajan/Twitter)