How swimmer Sajan Prakash tackled his injury and created history

What do you do when your life throws a load of adversities at you? You deal with them like Sajan Prakash. A humble inspector with the Kerala Police, once a railway clerk too, became the first Indian ever to clock FINA "A" standard timing to earn a direct qualification into the Tokyo Olympics.

Just before the 2016 Rio Olympics where he had qualified with the help of the universality rule, the then 23-year-old was wide-eyed to be competing against his idol Michael Phelps in the 200m butterfly event. Before leaving India, he was asked if he is getting appropriate provisions for his training and he responded in the bare minimum of words. Very Indian sportsman-like behaviour many thought.

But one thing that struck me about him was his immaculate determination. While juggling his responsibilities with the railways, he used to swim for 16km every day in the pool. This speaks volumes of the perseverance that many of our unsung athletes possess.

He had his eyes set on a semi-final berth and eventually finished 28th in his event. Not quite the success he wished for but one couldn't help but notice that he was the lone swimmer competing from a nation with an unimpressive history in swimming.

He was on the world stage again in 2018 competing in the Asian Games. Swimming with the burden of the tragic floods in his hometown in Idukki, Kerala, Prakash managed to qualify for the finals in 200m butterfly making him the first Indian in 32 years to do so at the Asiad.

In many ways, this was the turning point in a promising career. Even though he had managed to shatter national records quite frequently, Prakash hadn't announced himself to the world yet. But he did so quite humbly at the Asiad. Finishing 5th in the finals and shattering his own national record in the process clocking 1:57:75, the performance was a testament to steely resolve that our athletes have developed over the years.

"He was calling me all day. He is very upset, and wasn't able to focus on the race. If not for this, he would have won a medal," Prakash's mother Shantymol was quoted when talking to The Indian Express.

Here was a mother dealing with the worst of circumstances amidst the disastrous floods that destroyed her home, 5 of her family members missing since last three days and all that mattered to her that Prakash couldn't stand on the podium. Quite the Indian mother that she is.

When he eventually looked set for another shot at his Olympic dream, tragedy struck. Prakash was at the SAF games in Nepal in December 2019 when he realized his shoulder ached. He returned without swimming in any of the events. Doom set in as the Olympic dream remained nothing but shattered. Just about 7 months to go without a qualification in hand, a spot in the Indian Olympic Contingent was near impossible.

But as the legend goes, even in the darkest of tunnels, there is a beacon light that leads you out of it. Little did anyone know that the infamous pandemic would help Sajan realize his Olympic dream. With the games suspended for a year, Sajan found enough time to recover and prepare to qualify for the mega event.

When his coach insisted him to join the Aqua Nation Sports Academy(ANSA) in Dubai, he left with no pool-time in the last 8 months. Hundreds of MRIs and thousands of consultations but none led to a concrete solution to his injury. Many threatened him to quit his career as the shoulder injury might aggravate. But Sajan was adamant under his coach Pradeep Kumar who took him under his shade when Sajan was left with no financial support in Dubai.

"No doubt he was in physical pain," exclaimed Pradeep. "But I think it was his mind that troubled him the most. This boy who never liked to lose had started wondering if his swimming career was over," Pradeep said while talking to The Quint.

Being in such virtual anonymity, Sajan found courage to continue his training at the ANSA even after the national camp ended. Pradeep Kumar, his coach continued to support him financially offering him a stay at his own house. Gowri, Pradeep Kumar's wife had recently moved to Dubai after retiring from a managerial job in Karnataka Bank.

"Gowri aunty and I share a great bond. Pradeep sir is a very difficult person, always putting you through the grind," Sajan was quoted as saying.

"But Gowri aunty was very supportive. She did everything a mother would do for her son, and she fed me the best Kerala food. I would go straight to the kitchen after workout and we would have many light moments which made me forget my physical pain"

Sajan found the love of a nurturing mother with Gowri. After 8 months of stay with Kumar and extensive rehab and training, Sajan was back competitively. Sajan went to Latvia to compete in the Latvia Open. Pradeep Kumar shared a room with an anxious Sajan who couldn't find sleep the night before.

Pradeep was confident of a sub-1:58 time again despite Sajan's nervy sleepover. Sajan failed to do so but managed a sub-2-minute showing in nearly 2 years. Just when he could feel the relief of getting his mojo back, the second wave struck in India. Indian passports were put on travel red lists cancelling his trips to Monaco and Nice.

When the travel sanctions came through, Former Indian Waterpolo professional and 1982 Asiad bronze medallist Ram Gopal Narayan aka Rammy hosted the Indian swimming contingent in Belgrade. Rammy took care of their stay and ensured they were treated with the best Indian food. From Gowri to Rammy, Sajan found hospitality wherever he went.

Clocking an impressive 1:56:96 in Belgrade, Sajan missed the "A" mark by a mere 0.48 seconds. This was more a triumph than a failure. A triumph of self-belief and extraordinary hunger to succeed. A triumph with Sajan as the centre-piece and a thousand other well-wishers who made this dream a reality. Sajan was into the 1:56s now.

With a week to go before the Sette Colli Trophy in Rome, Sajan began training again and consulted former Indian Olympian Rehan Poncha who advised him that he needed just a centimetre incentive in every stroke to breach the "A" standard. Sajan improvised by extending his speed workout sessions.

He reached Sette Colli with his ever-burning desire for that elusive berth at the Olympics. Just when he just the pads after his last stroke, he came out of the water only to feel despair when he saw a flashing "58" on the big screen. It was only after a moment he realized that the time was for another Israeli swimmer who had clocked 1:58.

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju congratulated Sajan Prakash for his record and Olympics qualification, via Twitter.

Sajan clocked a remarkable 1:56:38 breaching the "A" standard by 0.1s, booking a seat on the plane flying to Tokyo in the process. The dream of a little five-year old, going through as many hardships as one can imagine, finally came true. The dream which was only made possible by heroes who contributed at every step in Sajan's Journey.

As Sajan dives into the pool in Tokyo, a billion eyes would be on him. Not many would know his voyages through different parts of the globe in achieving that spot in the pool. But I'm sure the ones who know, wouldn't be able to hold back a tear and cheer for one of many lion-hearted sons of our motherland.