If support system is given to us now, we can get a medal at next Asian Games: Sajan Prakash

Sajan Prakash is a man of few words. The Indian butterfly and freestyle swimmer gets his point across with the shortest possible sentences, but they can have a long-lasting impact.

And so as he talks about the health of swimming in the country and why Indian swimmers are not up to world standard at the moment, the 25-year-old might use minimal terms like "program", "system" and "project", but his analysis seems a well-rounded one.

Sajan, born in Idukki in Kerala, is one of the few swimmers in India who has competed at the big stage and shown plenty of promise with the least of support.

Sajan took part in the 2016 Rio Olympics and crashed out with an overall 28th place finish in the heats. He bounced back at the 2018 Asian Games, becoming the first Indian to make the finals of the 200m butterfly after 32 years at the Games, and finishing a creditable fifth in the finals.

"If a support system is given to us now, we can get a medal at the next Asian Games itself," Sajan told DNA from Bengaluru, where he is currently training.

"But it has to happen, and it has to happen now. There is absolutely no shortage of talent in India. And if things fall into place for us and run smoothly, results will automatically follow."

What is that support system? Is it financial support? Or infrastructure upgradation? Or a better level of training and competition within the country?

Sajan likes to call it a project, wherein all these things are integrated and delivered all at one place.

"We need to have a proper program for at least 2-3-4 years. We need to start now for the next Olympics (in 2024). Then, we can see the difference," Sajan said.

"We need to put one coach and assistant coaches and we need to decide the team and need to bring the support system. We need to work in one place, we have to have all the systems in place there and keep working on things smoothly there. We need to have physios, masseurs, sports scientists, everyone all at one place. It should be like a project," he added.

One of the reasons why he is big on a centralised system is due to his own personal experience.

Sajan also trains in Thailand under Spain's Miguel Lopez on an international swimming federation (FINA) scholarship, where his return flight tickets, food, accommodation and training costs during the scholarship period is taken care of.

Yet, while he feels lucky to be able to have the opportunity to train abroad and be a part of such scholarships, he cannot help but think of the luxury of having the same set of facilities at home.

"It would've been much better, because then we could just focus on our work, rather than worry about all other distractions in terms of travel and everything else. I travel a lot and then I get roasted from that itself. But I have to keep training consistently wherever I am," Sajan said.

Sajan was not quite at his best at the FINA World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, last month, not progressing beyond the heats in any of the three events. But in what was a bit of a silver lining, he managed to achieve the Olympic Standard Time (B timing) in the 200m butterfly.

"I'm not happy with my performance at the Worlds. Due to some issues, I just couldn't deliver. But I will learn from it and improve upon my mistakes," Sajan said.

He added: "There was nothing majorly wrong with me as such, it was just one of those bad meets."

He wiped off the Worlds disappointment by winning six gold, two silver and one bronze medal at the recently-concluded World Police Games in China. Appointed as an inspector with the Kerala Police only earlier this month, this was Sajan's first tryst with the World Police Games.

"It was my first time representing the police, actually. It felt really good, and it was a great meet," he said.

Sajan has now trained his guns towards qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Games with the A timing, which is 1:56.48 seconds in 200m butterfly. His personal best in the same category is 1:57.70 seconds.

"My target is to qualify for the Olympics with the A timing. And then to be somewhere in the finals or semifinals at the Olympics," he said.

It's easier said than done, though, with a medal by an Indian swimmer at the Olympics merely some wishful thinking for now.

Sajan again comes back to talking about having a program, and the government having some faith in the swimmers by supporting them financially.

The Target Olympic Podium Scheme excludes swimmers, for the government probably thinks there's no hope of an Olympic medal from swimming. Sajan is one of the select lucky few to have some sort of financial backing, being supported by sports marketing and player management firm, Baseline Ventures.

"When we compete with the best in the world, we need to have at least 20 to 30 per cent of what they get in terms of facilities. We swimmers normally practice and perform out of our own interest.

"One needs to have a proper program set for swimmers and then the government needs to invest and put in some money. We need to have a structured program. Unless and until we don't bring in any support system for our swimmers, we cannot compete with the best in the world," Sajan said.

Ask him if in his career while he is still active as a professional swimmer, India can win a medal at any of the big multi-nation tournaments, pat comes the reply: "Of course. I don't know if they believe in me, but I believe in myself."

Did You Know?

• At the 2018 Asian Games, Sajan Prakash became the first Indian to make the finals of the 200m butterfly after 32 years at the Games, and finished a creditable 5th in the finals

KNOW SAJAN

• Full name: Sajan Prakash
• Born: September 14, 1993; Idukki, Kerala
• Height: 177cm
• Weight: 70kg
• Strokes: Butterfly, Freestyle
• Trains in: Thailand, Bengaluru
• Coaches: Miguel Lopez, Pradeep Kumar