Kerala swimmer to do solo to Rio Olympics

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After a year’s training hermitage in Thailand, swimmer Sajan Prakash, Kerala’s superstar during National Games 2015, has gained a wild card entry into Rio Olympics this week. As Sajan reached Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, he got a hero’s welcome at Mascot Hotel. Aspiring swimmers assembled under the Kerala Aquatic Association and queued up for a selfie with him.

The state government on Friday gave '10 lakh to the 21-year-old who gained Olympic qualification in the 200 m butterfly category. It is still in the process of providing him a gazetted post in Kerala police as promised during National Games.

Sajan, who has visibly transformed into a stronger and sharper man, reiterated that he aims to make it to the Olympics semi-finals. “It would be a great thing if I get to race with Michael Phelps in the same pool. Recently,  I could improve my timing by 1.5 seconds (in 200 metres). If I can manage to  improve timings by at least two seconds, I will be able to achieve a position where no other Indian swimmer has reached,” said Mr Sajan thoughtfully gazing at a lawn next  to pool at the hotel.

The best from Sajan is yet to come as most legendary athletes had peaked at around 26-27 years, said Olympian K.M. Beenamol who came to meet Sajan. Sajan, during his training at Thanyapura sports hotel, Phuket, Thailand had to spend almost the entire '30 lakh, he got as National Games prize money on training itself. In return, he got exposed to international coaches and ace foreign swimmers.

“I got to witness the training of most international teams barring the US. The training regimes there were slightly different from what my coach Pradeep Kumar used to give,” he said. In last three months, Sajan avoided eating out to maintain extreme fitness.

Sajan, son of former national track and field athlete V.J. Shantymol will leave for Rio de Janeiro on August 1. He will be the only male swimmer to represent India in the Olympic Games that begins on August 15. Meanwhile, state sports minister E.P. Jayarajan said that the files that plead to employ the railway player with the state government is with the Chief Minister’s office. The income-tax department has also rumouredly offered him a job.