What made the joy of winning and setting a new junior national record in the 50 meter freestyle event even better for Viraj Prabhu was the fact that the record he broke had previously belonged to Virdhawal Khade,Indias youngest swimmer to feature at the Olympic Games,and also the person Prabhu considers his inspiration in the sport. It felt very good and encouraging, said an ecstatic Prabhu,fondly remembering the occasion when he swam in the lane beside Khades during the heats of a senior national event in Pune last year. I didnt qualify for the finals that time,but I hope I will very soon. The newly set record now stands at 25.07 seconds,set at the Junior State Swimming Championship at Balewadi. He had also broken Khades record in the same event in the under-14 category last year. In fact,the six-foot tall Prabhu is often considered the next Khade. After learning how to swim from his father,the then seven-year old saw swimming as a mere hobby until his father recognised the talent and enrolled the prodigy for professional coaching. Two years later,at the age of nine,Prabhu started competing in tournaments and the victories and medals came along in quick succession. Along with his newly achieved medals at from the Balewadi tournament,where he also won a silver medal in the 50 meter breaststroke event,the 15-year old,claims to have amassed over a hundred medals from victories in swimming events. I havent been able to count them all, he admitted while trying to figure out if he won eight or nine medals during national tournaments. All I know is that I have won at least one medal in all the national tournaments I have participated in. When asked which tournament was his favourite,he needed no time to think for an answer. It was in [Bengaluru in 2010. I swam in the under-12 category and I did exceptionally well. I got four gold medals there along with the best swimmer award. In addition to the four medals he won in the Bengaluru based tournament,Prabhu broke two under 12 records in the 50 meter breaststroke and 100 meter freestyle events. Though Prabhu has so far had a sparkling six-year long career in the sport,it has not always been very easy for him. Being a 10th grade student at Fr Agnels Multipurpose School in Vashi,Prabhu has had to find a balance between his education and his sporting career. It is not easy, he said. I have to go for extra classes after school and also make sure I get a good amount of practice. His daily routine involves at least four hours of practice,two hours before school and two hours after the extra classes,every day. Saturdays see the swimmer taking more time out to practice,while Sundays are dedicated to getting some hard-earned rest. I get very tired by the end of the week, he explained. Sundays are off unless I have a big tournament coming up in the following week. In an attempt to ensure neither his education nor his swimming capabilities suffer,Prabhu has stopped going to the gym he used to visit earlier in order to save the time he would have spent travelling. I exercise at home instead. Its quicker and I avoid getting tired because of the travel. He also added that his parents have always supported him in his endeavours. While his mother assists him with his studies,his father supports him in swimming. Currently coached by Gokul Kamath,a Shiv Chhatrapati Awardee,Prabhu is setting his sights on the Junior Aquatic Championship in Hyderabad,starting early July. Prabhu is confident but does not want to take anything for granted. This year is very important, he said. I have been in good form,but there will be a lot of good swimmers there and I need to keep improving. If I do well throughout the year I might be able to qualify for senior national events. Just like several other athletes,Prabhu too claims that his greatest achievement would be to represent his country and win a medal at the Olympic Games. There is no doubting the skill in the tall youngster,and given his determination and will to improve,hopes remain high for him to deliver.
