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Swimming against the current

Meet award-winning siblings who are pros in the pool

Like any other brother and sister, Vishnu Vardhan and Madhumitha love to giggle and fight with each other at home. But when they start to swim, fun takes a backseat.Vishnu, a first year DME student of PSG Polytechnic, won three gold and a silver medal in the recent State-level inter-collegiate championship at Virudhunagar. The 16-year-old competed in the most gruelling event in swimming, the individual medley, besides his favourite strokes - the back and the butterfly. He won each one of them comfortably.

He also tried a hand at the breaststroke and ended up with the silver. His triple gold fetched his college the overall championship.

Success secret

"He has been swimming for over a decade. That's his strong point," says his mother K. Vijaya Rajendran, a veteran national athlete. "When we first put him in the Perks Swimming Centre as a four-year-old, he impressed his coaches with his stylish movements and stamina. They knew he was a find and started to work on his style seriously. He made good use of that and picked up the basics fast."

"Everybody starts their swimming career doing the freestyle, but we thought differently and asked him to do the backstroke, which has now turned out to be his pet event," she adds.

Agrees Vishnu. "I get maximum speed doing the backstroke," he says. Vijaya intervenes: "His body language becomes free while doing that."

So far, Vishnu has won over 75 medals in both the district and State levels. "I have got a big aim — to be part of the national team. If I get the right kind of environment and coaching, I am sure of going places," he says.

Madhumitha, like Vishnu, started swimming at six and she loves the backstroke too. At the practice pool, she finds it extremely hard to beat her older brother.

But when it competition in her age group, she is a real threat. The 11-year-old has won close to 25 medals in the district, divisional and State sub-junior levels. The Class VII student of GRG MHSS relies on her brother for technical help. "He has always been there to help her out. In fact, he is a big inspiration," says Vijaya.

Seeking sponsors

The duo certainly has the talent and experience, but is stuck in a place bereft of a good swimming pool or coaches. A place like Bangalore or Kerala will do a world of good.

"I know that, but it is an expensive proposition. Sponsorship can help," says Vijaya. Anyone listening?

RR

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