THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Srihari Nataraj has already earned the tag of the next posterboy of Indian swimming with his sizzling shows in domestic and international circuits. At 17, he flaunts all traits that swimming connoisseurs would scan for and be happy about in a wunderkind who many deem has the potential to make it big on the global stage.
But Srihari’s biggest asset is a cool head and a strong mind that helps him not get distracted by the hullabaloo outside. Towering over six feet, Nataraj is too mature to his age and doesn’t seem to bother himself with all the praise that is being lavished on him. “I am perfectly grounded. The appreciations coming my way have not carried me away,” he said, after winning the 200m backstroke title in a record time of 2:02.37. It was his third gold in the ongoing national championship.
In fact, not to get blown away by the sweet words is as hard as delivering a strong performance. India coach S Pradeep Kumar is one such person who belongs to the play-your-stardom-safely school of thought. Working as a mentor at Bangalore Swimming Research Centre where Srihari trains under AC Jayarajan, Pradeep is of the view that the future of a swimmer considered as a prodigy depends on how he handles his stardom. “Success beckons one if he trains hard and is not distracted by the attention. Attention can be a game-changer,” he feels.
Regarding Srihari, he is not that wary as Jayarajan. In fact Jayarajan is more worried about his ward’s core strength. “He needs to work on his core. Needs to built strong abs which could help him execute flip turns more effectively,” he observes.
Srihari, meanwhile, is focussed on improving his performance at the upcoming Youth Olympics to be held in Argentina. He says there is room for improvement in certain aspects, but he won’t go for technical changes as they might affect his rhythm and thereby performance. “There is no time for technical tweaking,” he adds.
A native of Bengaluru, Srihari started swimming when he was less than three years old and started taking professional lessons from Jayarajan when he was five. Though Srihari says his immediate focus is on the Youth Olympics, Jayarajan has a longer plan. He wants Srihari to make the cut for 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which will give him experience and keep him in good stead for the 2024 quadrennial event. “By 2024, he should become an Olympic medal prospect. That is my dream,” Jayarajan says.
Those who know Srihari will concur that Jayarajan’s dream is not totally unfounded. One of his friends says they haven’t seen a person other than Srihari who listens to music seconds prior to competing, so that he could get that kick and pump himself to brace for the challenge. When asked, Srihari reckoned that he listens to music to stay focussed. “I listen to pop songs. It pumps me up,” he says.
shan.as@newindianexpress.com