Indian swimmers need lot more support, says National coach S Pradeep Kumar

At Rio Olympics, S Pradeep Kumar accompanied Sajan Prakash (men's 200m butterfly) and Shivani Kataria (women's 200m freestyle) hoping for a creditable performance from the duo. Sajan Prakash finished 28th overall in the heats with a timing 1:59.37, while 18-year-old Shivani Kataria finished 41st overall with a timing of 2:09:30. Although they were nowhere near the medals, national coach S Pradeep Kumar believes that India can get there one day with better facilities and lot more support.

"Indian swimmers are not even anywhere near the 'A' qualifying mark for the Olympics. We are not up to that standard yet. That requires a lot of other things. To come to that level, you need better facilities, assistance from all corners, a lot more funding and a lot more support," Kumar told DNA from Bengaluru.

"If you have to compare our swimmers with those from the countries that make the semifinals and finals of Olympics, you have to also compare all the facilities and support that those swimmers receive. We are nowhere near any of them," Kumar said. "At the level, India is at the moment, you could compare with the Asian standards and how many swimmers from Asia qualify for the semifinals and finals.

"You look at the women's finals. Hardly women from Asia except a handful from Japan and one or two from China made it. Among men, probably one from Singapore and a couple from Japan and China did well. Other than them, there have not been many from Asia in the Olympics finals. To come to that level, we need to challenge our swimmers with all those who have the best of facilities, all the scientific system of training, etc," he added.

Reflecting on his Dronacharya Award, Kumar said that it is a recognition for the hard work of many people and not just his.

"It is a time to rejoice in the sense that whatever I have done being is recognised. I am happy about it. More than what I have done, it is a recognition for the Basavanagudi Aquatic Centre (in Bengaluru, where he has been coaching for about three decades) is recognised, the swimmers' and their parents' hard work. It is not just my effort,” Kumar told DNA.