Confident Sajan Prakash eyeing finals at the Tokyo Olympics 2020

With less than 20 days left for the start of the Tokyo Olympics 2020, Sajan Prakash has termed 'discipline' as a vital component in coming back from a career-threatening injury and raising his game at the right time. Sajan was the first Indian swimmer to qualify for the Tokyo Games.

Sajan Prakash's Olympic qualification

Sajan Prakash qualified under the 'A' Standard for the Men's 200-meter butterfly. He clocked 1:56:38 seconds in the men’s 200m butterfly event at the Sette Colli Trophy in Rome last month. The 27-year-old became the first Indian to qualify for the Olympics with an 'A' standard timing. This will be Sajan’s second Olympics.

Sajan Prakash eyeing finals

Sajan Prakash is all prepared to dive into the pool at the upcoming Summer Games. He said the aim is to make it to the semifinals and the finals. Speaking about their last minute preparations, the Olympic-bound swimmer said the team is focused on the little bits and pieces of last minute preparation.

In a virtual press conference organized by SAI on Sunday, Sajan said:

“When I returned to the pool, I had lost 50 percent of my belief but the other 50 percent I knew I could do it. But in sport, it’s that 1 per cent that matters."

Injury scare ahead of his qualification

In December 2019, Sajan suffered a career threatening injury, where a slip disk on his neck started radiating towards his left arm. He recovered and finished rehab within the span of a few months. However, his training was halted as the COVID-19 induced lockdown plagued the world, leaving Sajan stranded in Thailand.

It was a tough few months for the ace swimmer but he never gave up. He gave credit to the positive and eminent coaches and support staff, for helping him overcome the injury and return to training. He continued:

“I had to start from scratch, I had to work on the basics. We had to work on many things but thanks to everything coming together, today I have made it."

This hard work and fitness reflected his phenomenal achievement of directly making it through the Olympics cut.

Also Checkout: Tokyo Olympic Swimming Schedule 2021

Sajan Prakash keeps the faith

Sajan’s recovery from injury coincided with the first COVID-19-induced lockdown, and this hampered his comeback plans. Sajan said he lost 50 percent faith of making it to the Olympics.

He explained the hardships that he underwent during rehab. Sajan said he could not swim the entirety of the 200m freestyle and was forced to cut down to 25m at a time, to be able to make brisk moves.

“Within three months I was able to return to swimming freestyle, I was not able to swim one stroke of butterfly. My coach [Pradeep Kumar] told me that if I wanted to qualify for the Olympics, I would have to do things differently. Even if I failed, I had to try’”

He added:

“I was barely able to move. So, I didn’t know then if an A cut would be possible.”

In August, the government arranged a two-month training camp in Dubai for three swimmers, including Sajan.

Sajan Prakash also remembered his struggles during the initial stages of his recovery. He credits his coaches with helping him push through arduous times. The coaching staff forced him to move out of his basic preparation. They urged him to make changes to his regimen, to be able to qualify for the Olympics.

Sajan Prakash expresses gratitude towards the Government

While talking about school work ahead of his Olympics, he expressed gratitude towards the government for funding a two-month training camp in Dubai for three swimmers, including Sajan Prakash, between August and October 2020.

The Government has supported swimming through the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition and has sanctioned a total of approximately INR 13.66 crore in the three budgets for the years 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22.