Picture Credit: Twitter
Swimmer Sajan Prakash is one of the favourites to bring back a medal in the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games for India. Prakash created history by becoming the first Indian to win a direct qualification to the Tokyo Olympics. In 2021, Sajan Prakash registered 1:56.38 seconds in Sette Colli Trophy, which was a new national record in the men's 200m butterfly event.
This timing was under the Olympic Qualification Time (OQT) of 1:56.48 seconds for the event and led him to secure a berth for the Tokyo Olympics. He also was part of the Indian contingent for the 2016 Rio Olympics but was qualified under the universality quota and didn’t come through direct qualification.
Sajan Prakash hails from Idukki, Kerala and was introduced to sports early by his mother V Shantymol, who was a former track-and-field athlete. Sajan started swimming at the age of five and soon dedicated his life to the sport. He then joined the Neyveli City Swimming Club in Tamil Nadu but soon shifted to Bengaluru to train under renowned swimming coach Pradeep Kumar.
Prakash earlier was a short course swimmer but shifted focus to long course events like the 200m butterfly and the medley under the guidance of coach Kumar. Since then, he has dominated the national circuit and has represented the country in various international events.
Name: Sajan Prakash
Age: 29 Years
Born on: 14 September 1993
Birthplace: Idukki, Kerala
Profession: Swimmer
Coach: Pradeep Kumar
Achievements:
Won 6 gold medals and 3 silver medals at the 35th National Games, held in Kerala India and won the Best Athlete award of 2015.
Only Indian male swimmer to participate at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Won a silver medal in the 100m butterfly category at the 2017 Asian Indoor Games, held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
Holds 10 national, 3 South Asian and 1 Asian records in various categories.
First Indian swimmer to qualify for finals at the 2018 Asian Games in 200m Butterfly in 32 years.
First Indian swimmer to breach the FINA "A" Olympic qualification time.
First Indian Swimmer to qualify for two consecutive Olympics.