Sajan Prakash first-ever Indian swimmer to make 'A' cut for Olympics

Sajan Prakash on Saturday made the cut for the Tokyo Olympics at the Sette Colli Trophy in Rome. He clocked 1:56.38 in the 200m butterfly event. The qualifying standard was 1:56.48.

Sajan Prakash on Saturday made the cut for the Tokyo Olympics.

Sajan Prakash on Saturday made the cut for the Tokyo Olympics at the Sette Colli Trophy in Rome. He became the first Indian swimmer ever to make the 'A' qualifying mark for the Olympics. He clocked 1:56.38 in the 200m butterfly event. The qualifying standard was 1:56.48.

Last week, Sajan won the 200m butterfly race at the Belgrade Trophy swimming championships. He clocked in 1:56.96s, a new national record timing, breaking his previous mark of 1:57.73s set in 2018. But it was still nearly half a second short of the Tokyo A-mark (1:56.48s).

Many congratulations to @swim_sajan who becomes the 1st Indian #swimmer♂to qualify for #Tokyo2020 as he clocks 1:56:38 in men's 200m butterfly at the Sette Colli Trophy in Rome.

The qualification cut-off was 1:56:48.

Way to go champ! pic.twitter.com/G4KMcM8DKH

— SAIMedia (@Media_SAI) June 26, 2021

 

"I have worked very hard for this, and I was confident with the way I had trained," Prakash was quoted as saying in a press release.

"This was my last chance, and I knew I had to do it here. I had come so close to the qualifying mark in the previous meets, but my Coach Pradeep Sir and I planned my tapering in such a way that I would peak at these two events in Serbia and Rome." "I am grateful to all the support I have received from SFI, SAI and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS). I believed in myself and my Coach Pradeep Kumar. Pradeep Sir was the anchor and I owe this to him. I knew I had it in me, and I am glad I achieved it," added Sajan.

On Friday, Srihari Nataraj came agonisingly close to securing the A-mark Olympic Qualification Time in a 100m backstroke event but fell 0.05 seconds short.