Final countdown

With 15 months to go for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, the Indian swimming squad is getting ready for a busy schedule.

A hectic international calendar that begins with the 13th FINA World Championships in Rome from July 26 to August 2 will end next year with the Asian Swimming Championships in March.

The 13-member squad led by Olympian Rehan Poncha that will take part in the FINA world meet includes the likes of teen talent Virdhawal Khade and Olympian Sandeep Sejwal. Both are training in Europe right now on a sports ministry scholarship and will join their mates in Rome.

Seven out of 13 swimmers will head to Tokyo two days after their return from Rome to take part in the 6th AASF Asian Age Group Championships from August 10 to 13.
The Tokyo event will be followed by senior nationals in Trivandrum in September and the second Asian Indoor Games, Vietnam, in October. The season continues with the National Games in December and ends with the Asian Swimming Championships in March.

“It’s good that we have so many races prior to the Commonwealth Games. We are heading in the right direction,” said Pradeep S Kumar, national swimming coach. “Racing in an international event every month is essential. Competition needs to be a part of training so we know our standard,” he added.

As far as the preparation for the World Championships is concerned, Pradeep said the swimmers have left no stone unturned in training.

In an extended summer stint focused on core strengthening and stabilisation, special importance was given on strength conditioning and cross training to improve the swimmers’ reflexes. “I am happy with the preparation. The swimmers are in good shape and are ready for a long season,” he said.

The 22-year-old Poncha had won one gold, two silvers and one bronze in the Singapore Open swimming Championships in June. With the best Indian performance in 200m butterfly (2:01.96), Poncha will be looking at bettering his personal best in the four events that he is taking part at the World Championships.

“My priority is to swim below two minutes in butterfly and better the national record in all my events. I would like to continue my fitness through the championships and go into the Asian Age group meet where I am looking at winning a couple of medals,” he said.

With the absence of Indian ace Shikha Tandon who is moving to US for higher studies, the girls’ category will be led by promising young swimmer Talasha Prabhu.

“Talasha should be able to swim faster than what she did in Asian Youth Games in Singapore this month. She is only third Indian to clock below one minute in the 100m freestyle after Nisha Millet and Shikha Tandon,” said Pradeep.