Nethra Kumanan: Sailing, speed, and reveling under pressure

Delhi: It was exactly a decade ago, in 2014, when the then 17-year-old Nethra Kumanan dropped out of school to participate in the Asian Games. Although a tough call, the decision helped her catch the tailwinds.

Six years later, the Chennai lass would create history as the first-ever Indian sailor to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 by topping a qualification event.

In April this year, Nethra was at it again, this time securing qualification for the Paris Olympics at the Last Chance Regatta event via the Emerging Nations Program (ENP).

Talking to The Bridge about her last-moment qualification, Nethra was elated.

"The qualification is very exciting. I got the last possible slot in the qualification process, but it wasn't an Asian slot; it was an international spot."

"I was relieved after getting the spot. I sailed quite poorly compared to what I was capable of in that tournament. My whole focus remains on the performance at the Games now," reflected Nethra.

Finding her way through uncharted waters

The Chennai native picked up sailing as part of a summer camp in 2009 when she was 12. After trying her hand at tennis, cycling, and basketball, Nethra chose sailing as the mental aspect of the sport fascinated her.

A trained Bharatnatyam dancer, Nethra took to sailing like a duck to water and never looked back, giving up both Bharatnatyam and her school when the Asian Games were called in 2014.

"My school back then didn't have the provision for taking more than 10 days off in a year. I had to travel to Korea (Incheon). The decision was a simple and easy one for me. I don't regret it," Nethra said with assurance.

Since dropping out of school in 2014, Nethra has come a long way, earning her kicks through consistent performances at the international level.

The Asian Games experience in 2014 helped Nethra further as she finished fifth in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games and then went on to become the first Indian woman to win a bronze medal at the Hempel Sailing World Cup Series, in Miami, U.S.A.

Tokyo Olympics - an experience of a lifetime

Nethra's qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics was a historic moment in many ways.

She not only became the first-ever Indian woman sailor to make it to the quadrennial extravaganza, but she also became the very first Indian sailor to qualify by winning the qualification event and not via the quota route.

In the Laser Radial category, she led the 10-race series at the Mussanah Open Championship in Oman convincingly in April 2021. In the medal round, she finished sixth and was placed second overall, earning the quota for Tokyo.

Nethra races in the Laser Radial category, a small, dinghy-style boat that is sailed single-handedly.

The 26-year-old rates the Tokyo Olympic qualification as the more emotional one.

"Last time, the whole focus was on qualification. It was a huge milestone in such a challenging time," said Nethra.

Usually away from the main hustle and bustle of multi-sporting tournaments, Nethra was lucky to catch up with Indian superstars at the Tokyo Olympics.

"We are quite unlucky in sailing as we are away from the main venue and don't get a chance to interact with other athletes. But at the Tokyo Olympics, I was lucky enough to attend the Opening ceremony," said Nethra.

"I was very starstruck, like seeing Mary Kom didi, Indian hockey team captain Manpreet Singh, and other superstars," quipped Nethra.

While she accepted that the preparation was inadequate for Tokyo, she believes that her experience will be helpful in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.

"I think the experience from Tokyo is going to help me a lot in being able to focus on the sailing in Paris rather than being overwhelmed by all the media and all the attention," said Nethra.

Love for speed

When she started sailing, Nethra enjoyed the sailing part more, but over time, her love for speed grew, surpassing her love for the boat itself.

"I enjoyed the sailing part of it more than I enjoyed being put against other boats. I enjoyed being passed around the course. I enjoyed being able to read the course and the wind and to be in front in that way," explained Nethra.

"However, I think it is changing quite fast now. It's because I've started to understand that it's not the course we're racing against; it's the competitors because that's, at the end of the day, who we need to beat. So I've started to enjoy the pressure of events like this," Nethra said.

Apart from the racing, it is the solitary nature of the sport that excites her about sailing.

"The control I have while on the boat is what keeps me going. I am fascinated by how small maneuvers can change the course of the race and how a small gap can decide the difference between a win or a loss," said Nethra, palpable with excitement in her voice.

Supported by the Dream Sports Foundation, Nethra has been constantly working on the mental aspect of the sport.

"This sport requires a lot of mental strength because you have to go for every small chance that is there, and there will be other competitors vying for the same gap or turn or chance," said Nethra.

"When Dream Sports Foundation found me in 2018-19, the first important thing that came to me was a sports psychologist who helped me in my preparations for the Tokyo Olympics," Nethra said.

What next in Paris?

After securing the qualification, Nethra took a two-week break to return to Chennai and relax. She traveled to France after that and started training in Marseille.

When asked about how she looks at the Paris Olympics, Nethra said," This is my chance to go ahead and prove my mettle once again at the international level."

"It will be better than the Tokyo Olympics for sure as I am well placed and more experienced than that," concluded Nethra.

While Sailing remains a sport unknown to much of the Indian masses, Nethra has been quietly braving the waves and sea to set a path for the future generation of the country to take up the sport.