THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After winning four gold medals at the 64th Kerala State Senior Aquatics Championship held at Pirappancode here, Thiruvananthapuram-based swimmer Suneesh S is hoping to make a mark at the national stage during the 70th Glenmark Senior National Aquatics Championship to be held in Ranchi from September 24 to 28.
The breaststroker, who only has access to swimming pools for two sessions a week, has had a purple patch in recent times -- at the senior state championship as well as the University of Kerala aquatics championships before that -- taking home four medals on both occasions.
Suneesh won gold in 50-metre, 100 metre and 200-metre breaststroke races at the state championship while also helping Thiruvananthapuram win a team gold in the 4x100 metre medley relay. He also swept the three races in the university championship held on September 6 and 7 while also finishing second in the 200-metre individual medley.
“He is an outstanding talent and a naturally gifted swimmer. He has been training with me for a little over a year now and has done well in all three events since then,” said T K Senthil Kumar, a former national champion who now trains Suneesh at the Jyolsana Swimming Academy, Thiruvallam here.
“But we do not want to rush him. It will take another two or three years for him to be in the reckoning for medals at the national level. And I am confident he will fulfil his potential,” Kumar said. “We expect him to reach the finals of two of the three events at the national championship this year,” he added.
Kumar said he is hoping to prepare him for the national stage from next season. “We are working on a plan to get him ready for tougher competitions,” he said. After the national championship, Suneesh will travel to Chandigarh to participate in the All India University Aquatics Championship where he is a medal hopeful.
“Suneesh is getting offers of employment from the Army and Police, but we want him to join the Railways who offer good training facilities for swimmers,” said Suneesh’s father Suresh, a former state champion in 10-metre highboard diving himself, and a Railways employee.
