"We have a lot of good sailors even in our country" - Nethra Kumanan on more people taking up sailing after her Olympic qualification
A trailblazer in Indian sailing, Nethra Kumanan, who became the first Indian female sailor to achieve direct qualification for the Summer Games, is keen to witness more people seriously taking up sailing as a sport.
In an exclusive conversation with Chennayin FC, the ace Indian sailor Nethra opened up on her challenges, her brother’s support to continue in the sport, her preparations for the Paris Olympics, and much more.
“It's an honour and privilege (on her direct qualification). We have a lot of good sailors even in our country. There were a lot of Indian sailors who came close to qualifying. We definitely have that ability. I think I hope that our qualification will make more people take up the sport seriously,” Nethra Kumanan told Chennayin FC.
Notably, Nethra Kumanan is the first Indian female sailor to qualify for the Games. The Tokyo Olympian secured India’s second quota in sailing for Paris 2024 at the Last Chance Regatta in Hyeres, France, in April.
Another Tokyo Olympian, Vishnu Saravanan, bagged India’s first quota in men’s dinghy at the ILCA 7 Men's World Championship 2024 in Australia in January 2024.
Nethrar’s brother Naveen Kumanan was also in the Indian National Sailing Squad before he decided to focus on his studies. According to Nethra, she received a lot of support from her brother in the initial days of her career.
“He was there with me all the time. He started sailing when he was eight. He was sailing until he was in +2, which is when he decided to stay in school and I preferred to take up the sport. He is my support system at home,” she added.
Nethra Kumanan is confident of withstanding strong and cold winds at Paris 2024
While the weather in Chennai suits Nethra Kumanan perfectly, she anticipates that sailors might encounter strong and cold winds in Europe. Nevertheless, she remains confident in her ability to handle any challenging weather conditions at the Paris Games.
“Personally, I am quite lucky with the weather here in Chennai. I don’t like being in the cold a lot. To this day, the thing the most trouble I have with is the cold and harsh weather because here we always have moderate winds,” she said in the same interaction.
“When we go to Europe, we will have strong and cold winds, that’s the kind of thing we’ve to deal with. But once you get that comfort, you can concentrate on your race,” Nethra Kumanan added.
Nethra clinched a bronze medal in the Hempel World Cup Series in 2020, emerging as the first Indian female to win a medal in the sport. She also represented India at the Asian Games in 2014 and 2018.