NATARAJ TOO MAKES OLYMPICS ‘A’ CUT IN 100M BACKSTROKE
NEW DELHI: A day after Sajan Prakash’s big splash in the pool, Srihari Nataraj also achieved the Tokyo Olympics A qualification standard in 100m backstroke in a time trial organised at the Sette Colli meet in Rome on Sunday, the final day of swimming qualifications. His timing though is yet to be ratified by FINA (world swimming body). The 20-yearold clocked 53.77s (A standard: 53.85s) to make the cut for his maiden Olympics, if ratified. Nataraj’s big effort comes after Sajan Prakash achieved a historic feat, becoming the first Indian swimmer to get direct qualification for the Olympics when he clocked 1:56:38 in 200m butterfly. If Srihari’s result is approved, two Indians will be in the Tokyo pool through direct qualification. “It will be for FINA to accept the result,” Swimming Federation of India (SFI) secretary general Monal Chokshi said.
The strapping 6ft 3 Bengaluru swimmer was in relentless pursuit of Olympics qualification this year, despite hindrances and personal setbacks amid the pandemic restrictions. Two days earlier in Rome, he missed the mark by 0.05sec in his event, clocking 53.90s. SFI then nominated him for a quota spot through Universality places that allows participation if the country otherwise has no representation. That door was closed when Sajan Prakash qualified. The Indian team then requested the organisers to hold a time trial for Srihari, and that was accepted.
Srihari had achieved the B qualification (55.47secs) at the World Junior Championships in 2019 with a national mark of 54.69s. But B qualification does not guarantee entry for the Olympics. During the lockdown last year, he had to stay away from the pool for close to five months and had almost hit rock bottom because of no training. It was only last August that the federation sent him and a few others to Dubai for training, and it was then one big effort to get back into shape. He also lost his father recently but continued to strive towards achieving the Olympics qualification mark.