All posts tagged: Sandeep Sejwal

Sajan Prakash finds new purpose under former rival Sandeep Sejwal

Sajan Prakash finds new purpose under former rival Sandeep Sejwal

Published by Webster

For years, two athletes from modest backgrounds in Delhi and Kerala set out to chase the same dream in different corners of Bengaluru. They left home young, battled financial struggles, endured exhausting training sessions and slowly carved out identities in a sport that rarely promised security. One became one of India’s finest breaststrokers and won an elusive Asian Games bronze medal in 2014. The other became the poster boy of Indian swimming and went on to represent the country at the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But years after competing for the same Olympic spot, Sandeep Sejwal and Sajan Prakash are now on the same side of the lane. Supporting each other, not as rivals but as partners chasing one final dream. Sajan, who became the lone Indian swimmer to qualify for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games early this year, had returned to the pool last year after almost 7 months of break. “After the 2024 Olympics, it was a big downhill for me. I quit for almost 6 to 7 months and then went …

Sajan Prakash’s quest to get one second better than his best | Sports News

Sajan Prakash’s quest to get one second better than his best | Sports News

Published by Webster

Sajan Prakash is obsessed with the idea of getting better by one second these days. One second better than his personal best time in the 200m butterfly event, which came five years ago. Every time he plunges into the pool or enters the gym, a time of around 1:55 is on his mind. For, if he can better his best (1:56.38) by just one second, he walks off from the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in July-August with a medal around his neck. The 32-year-old believes this will likely be his final year as a competitive swimmer. So, he is determined to go out with a podium finish. The one-second math in his mind is simple: in Birmingham four years ago, James Guy won bronze clocking 1:56.77, Chad le Clos took silver with 1:55.89 and Lewis Clareburt raced away to gold in 1:55.60. At the recent Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championships, Sajan claimed a silver medal with 1:57.09. So, he spent all of the last few weeks averaging between 60 to 70 kilometres in the pool. …

When Khajan Singh Tokas ended India’s 35-year wait in swimming at 1986 Asian Games

When Khajan Singh Tokas ended India’s 35-year wait in swimming at 1986 Asian Games

Published by Webster

When Khajan Singh Tokas stepped onto the starting block for the men’s 200m butterfly at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games, he carried the weight of a 35-year wait. Just over two minutes later he had rewritten Indian swimming history. For a brief moment, the arena seemed to fall away. He became the first Indian swimmer since 1951 and seventh overall to make the podium. “I remember after winning the medal I was so happy. After a gap of 35 years, I got a medal for India, a silver medal,” Khajan Singh told The Bridge on Wednesday. Putting his nostalgia into words, Khajan goes back to the quiet confidence that began building long before the final dive. A strong swim in the heats had already given him the confidence that a medal was possible. “When I swam my heat in the morning and qualified for lane 5, I was very sure in the evening that a medal was there. But whether it is gold, silver, or bronze that depends on the final swim,” the now 62-year-old …

Olympian Sandeep Sejwal suspended over allegations of abuse; denies claims

Olympian Sandeep Sejwal suspended over allegations of abuse; denies claims

Published by Webster

The Odisha Sports and Youth Services Department has suspended Olympian swimmer Sandeep Sejwal from his role as head coach of the High Performance Swimming Centre at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, following allegations of verbal and physical abuse by young swimmers. Sejwal, a 2008 Beijing Olympian and a 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist, was leading the JSW-IIS swimming program when multiple swimmers reportedly accused him of misconduct, including physical intimidation, sexist language, and threats of expulsion, as per reports. As per reports, some swimmers alleged that he humiliated students from underprivileged backgrounds and resorted to physical violence. As per a video that is being circulated on social media platforms, on Saturday night, young swimmers at the sports hostel staged a protest, refusing to eat dinner until their grievances were addressed. “We are constantly threatened with expulsion if we speak out,” said one of the complainants during an interaction with the media. “The coach verbally abuses us, physically intimidates trainees, and punishes us unfairly,” he added. Students also accused Sejwal of making false complaints about them to their …