Swimmer Srihari Natraj qualifies for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
Srihari Natraj qualified for the Olympics in the 100m backstroke after clocking an impressive 53.77 seconds in a time trial event.
Srihari Natraj (Source: jswsports/Twitter)
After Sajan Prakash surpassed the Olympic 'A' qualification standard and qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in the 200m butterfly, yet another Indian swimmer has made it to the Olympics via the same route.
The 20-year-old Srihari Natraj qualified for the Olympics in the 100m backstroke earlier today, after clocking an impressive 53.77 seconds. The Olympic 'A' qualification standard for this event was set at 53.85 seconds. He qualified for the Tokyo Olympics via a time trail event organised at the Sette Colli Swimming Meet.
Earlier on Friday, Srihari Natraj had fallen agonisingly short of qualifying for the Olympics when he registered a timing of 53.90 seconds in 100m backstroke during the Sette Colli Trophy.
This is the first time in the history of the Olympics that two Indian swimmers have earned direct qualification to the Games.
Srihari Natraj's chances of qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics looked very slim when Sajan Prakash became the first Indian swimmer to earn a direct qualification to the Olympics yesterday. But, this time trial event organised today proved to be a blessing in disguise for the Karnataka lad.