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Splash in the pool

PHOTO: NAGARA GOPAL

Riding high E. Abhinav Reddy

Swimmers from Andhra Pradesh took the plunge at the Junior National Aquatics Championship in Jaipur last week with lots of hopes. But, all that they could grab was four medals. And, three of them were won by the17-year-old Enjamuri Abhinav Reddy.

Even as others were still ruing their fortune, Abhinav was ruling the pool. He may not have set the venue ablaze but did catch the attention of the few critics with a silver each in the 100-m butterfly (1:00.62) and 200-m butterfly (2:16.53) and a bronze in the 50-m butterfly (27.46).

Abhinav has been training with the Beijing Olympian Virdhawal Khade in Bangalore for some time now and the young Hyderabadi also has a fascination for the butterfly events like the former. But, the fact that he emerged the best swimmer from the State was a creditable performance for someone who is nursing a dream to represent India in the Youth Olympics next year.

Winning medals is nothing new as he picked three golds in the South Zone championship but the Jaipur edition was special for him as the 12th standard student of Chaitanya Junior College in the four Junior National appearances. “But, for the ankle injury, I think I would have finished with a much better performance,” he points out.

Apparently, training alongside Khade in the pool enhances his confidence level and makes him a more technically proficient swimmer as the young swimmer keeps discussing the nuances of the sport regularly with his more famous friend.

The daily regimen of swimming for an aggregate distance of 10 km clearly demands lot of stamina, discipline, hard work and dedication.

The legendary Michael Phelps is the inspiration for Abhinav and he has a special liking for tennis star Rafael Nadal because of the latter’s “attitude to be a complete sportsperson”.

Hyderabad may have a world-class swimming pool at Gachibowli and a well-maintained Secunderabad GHMC pool where the untiring coach Umesh helps out the trainees. But, the fact that Abhinav was forced to look to Bangalore as he could not find someone good enough to be his training partner may also reflect on the standards in this Group I category.

What is that Abhinav is trying to master now? “The two important suggestions which my coach made is to keep improving my movements at the starts and turns,” he reminds. “I still believe that I am in with a chance to make it to the Asian Age Group championship in Tokyo this September and if that happens, it could be a huge occasion for me to demonstrate that I am really coming of age,” he says. Still grateful to his first coach Ramakrishna and Srinivas and to the physical trainer Praveen, Abhinav is dreaming of making it big to be first-ever quality swimmer from the State to make a huge impact at the highest levels.

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