Indian swimmers need better facilities, lot more support: National coach S Pradeep Kumar

The unassuming S Pradeep Kumar has been the face of Indian swimming for a long time. Not as a swimmer but as the coach guiding young and upcoming swimmers from their age-group years and into the Indian teams for various international competitions.

Unfortunately, the scene for swimmers is not encouraging, and hence, Kumar's tireless efforts with the stop-watch in one hand and a whistle hanging around his neck goes largely unnoticed. However, the government of India recognised Kumar's service to swimming by naming him as one of the Dronacharya Award winners, the ceremony for which will be held in New Delhi on Monday. Critics may point to the performance of Indian swimmers at the highest stage and question Kumar's right to be awarded Dronacharya. But, Kumar's dedicated service to swimming should not necessarily be measured by the results at the highest stage – be it the World Championships or the Olympics.

Kumar recently accompanied India's two swimmers Sajan Prakash (men's 200m butterfly) and Shivani Kataria (women's 200m freestyle) to the recent Olympic Games in Rio. That the two did not progress beyond the heats was not that Kumar could have anything about. The 52-year-old Kumar admitted that Indian swimming is way below the standards of the countries that make the finals in Olympics.
"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."

How do the Indian swimmers feel when they don't go beyond the heats and where they finish way behind? Prakash finished 28th in 200m fly heats with 1:59.37s while Kataria was 41st in her 200m freestyle heats, both falling below their personal bests. Kumar shot back: "Sajan was highly motivated. Even before going to Rio, he was aware where they were going to finish. Why should they be demotivated? All the medal winners are 'A' qualifiers. Only about 35 are 'B' qualifiers and you have about 60 people getting wild cards.

"You cannot get into the Olympics just like that. For eligibility, you have to go to World Championships, for which you have to qualify." Kumar, who updates himself with the latest in coaching and himself conducts coaching courses in the neighbouring countries, has been looking at avenues where his swimmers can get advanced training. For example, in Rio, he got talking to Michael Phelps's coach Bob Bowman through a common friend and head swimming coach of the University of Georgia, Jack Bauerle.

Kumar said: "We are looking to get an admission for Sajan at one of the universities in the USA. Two-three years of training with higher-level swimmers will be good for Sajan, if it comes through. But, it also needs a lot of funding." Following the rich cash rewards that came pouring Rio silver medallist PV Sindhu's and bronze medallist Sakshi Malik's ways, there have been debates if such money came well before the Games for the athletes' advanced training. Kumar felt that competitive swimming was mainly done by middle-class people. "They cannot spend so much of money. The crores and crores of rupees that Sindhu deservedly won won't do any magic. To come to that level, the parents and athletes go through a lot of struggle."

The actual scenario with Indian swimmers is that while they do well in the Asian age-group competitions, they choose their academics when they graduate to the senior level. "Parents don't continue spending on swimming. This is where the private sector needs to come and support, not the government alone. The government is doing at a level whatever it can. The corporates are slowly coming in. What we require is fund. Once funding comes, everything will fall in line. "Also, hiring a foreign coach will not do any magic overnight. It is a long-term commitment. Either give foreign coaches a long term or send our swimmers abroad for a longer duration," Kumar said if people were to expect results from Indian swimmers.

Reflecting on the Dronacharya award, Kumar said modestly: "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."
Rio was Kumar's third Olympics, having accompanied swimmers to Beijing 2008 and London 2012. He has closely seen Phelps win his record number of 23 Olympic gold medals. But Kumar's first memories of Phelps was at the short-course swimming meet in Indianopolis more than a decade ago when the American was still coming through the ranks.

"I took a photo with Phelps when he was still coming up. Hats off to Phelps. It is an unbelievable feeling seeing him create those records. That is something that this Rio Olympics will stand out for me personally," said Kumar. Kumar, after his long association with BAC, is contemplating moving on, what with a consultancy role coming up with a swim centre in Dubai. "I am still with BAC. I will take a call in a month or two after next month's senior nationals in Ranchi. I will be going often to Dubai but I will also work out as to how I can still be associated with BAC."

guru.krishnan@dnaindia.net