Despite no medals at the Asian Games 2023, the future of Indian swimming looks incredibly bright
India’s swimmers had a remarkable performance at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, China. While the Indian swimmers did not clinch any medals, they certainly left their mark by rewriting six national records, demonstrating that the future of Indian swimming is promising and full of potential.
The Indian contingent, consisting of 20 swimmers, competed in various events across the six days of action in Hangzhou.
Aneesh Gowda, Advait Page, Aryan Nehra, Anand AS, Kushagra Rawat, Likith SP, Sajan Prakash, Srihari Nataraj, Tanish George Mathew, Utkarsh Patil, Vishal Grewal and Virdhawal Khade made up the men’s squad for the games.
While a rather young contingent of Anannya Nayak, Dinidhi Desinghu, Hashika Ramachandra, Lineysha AK, Maana Patel, Nina Venkatesh, Palak Joshi, Shivangi Sarma, and Vritti Agarwal were the women swimmers taking part at the Asian Games.
National Records Tumble
The Indian contingent, who had gone through intensive training for the Asian Games, rewrote six national records. These records include five in relay competitions and one in an individual event.
Srihari Nataraj, one of India’s leading swimmers, had his standout performance in the men's 200m freestyle where he reset the Indian national swimming record with a time of 1:49.05
Srihari's remarkable achievement makes him a big prospect in Indian swimming in the competitions to come. He also reached the finals in the men's 50m and 100m backstroke events, where he finished sixth in both races.
The Indian relay teams displayed exceptional technique and determination, breaking three national records in the men's events and two in the women's categories.
The quartet of Srihari Nataraj, Tanish George Mathew, Vishal Grewal, and Anand Shylaja set a new record in the 4x100m freestyle, clocking a time of 3:21.22. The 4x200m freestyle relay team consisting of Aryan Nehra, Aneesh Gowda, Kushagra Rawat, and Tanish George Mathew, as well as the 4x100m medley team of Srihari Nataraj, SP Likith, Sajan Prakash, and Tanish George Matthew, wrote their names in the record books with times of 7:29.04 and 3:40.20, respectively.
The women's relay teams were equally impressive, with Maana Patel, Dhinidhi Desinghu, Janhvi Choudhary, and Shivangi Sarma breaking the national record in the 4x100m freestyle relay with a time of 3:53.80. The 4x200m freestyle relay team of Dhinidhi Desinghu, Shivangi Sarma, Vritti Agarwal, and Hashika Ramachandra also set a new record, finishing in 8:37.58.
Experience for Young Talent
While some of the Indian swimming squad for the Asian Games 2023 had experience taking part in an event of this scale, there were several youngsters making their debut at the Asian Games.
13-year-old Dhinidhi Desinghu, the national record holder in the women's 200m freestyle, 15-year-olds Hashika R and Lineysha, and 17-year-olds Nina Venkatesh, Vritti Agarwal, and Palak Joshi are a few of the several young swimmers who would have benefited tremendously from this experience.
Getting such an experience, where they not only watched several top international swimmers and record-holders but also competed and did exceptionally well against them, in their teen years would surely have an impact on how these young athletes train and prepare for their competitions going forward.
While the absence of medals might be seen as a disappointment by many, it's essential to recognize the experience these athletes gained. Apart from this, they went on to achieve several impressive timings setting personal and national records on such a grand stage.
The 19th edition of the Asian Games offered some intense competition and a platform for swimmers to gauge their abilities against some of the best in Asia. The Indian swimmers not only swam exceptionally well but also showcased that they have the potential to shine on the international stage, and with continued support and investment in the sport, the future of Indian swimming looks incredibly bright.