Tough task ahead for Indian eves: Swimming Coach

Bangalore, Mar 2 (UNI) Women swimmers representing the country in the coming Asian Swimming Championship and Commonwealth Games will have to fight it out to make a mark in the events, according to National Coach Pradeep Kumar.

A seven-member team, which underwent more than a month-long training under the able guidance of Kumar, would leave here tonight to participate in the Asian Swimming Championship, to be held in Singapore from March 5 to 10. Four top swimmers in the Asian event would make it for the Commonwealth Games, to be held in Melbourne from March 15.

''It is going to be a tough task for our swimmers to make a mark in both the events since swimmers from other participating countries are well ahead in their performance as compared to our swimmers. If we win a medal in any of these events, it will be a great boost to the team,'' Kumar told UNI after winding up the camp at the Sports Authority of India, Southern Centre, on the outskirts of the city.

''In the Asian Championship, we may finish third or fourth, but it may be sixth or seventh in the Commonwealth Games. However, I am sure that the participation in these tournaments will give good exposure to the swimmers,'' he added.

The team included Olympian Shikha Tandon, Rehan Ponacha, Punit Rane, Arjun Muralidharan, Virendra Devalkar Kode, Mandar Divas and Rohit Havaldar.

''Our swimmers are in good spirit, they performed very well in the camp and there is no injury worry, but it all depends how they perform on the day of event,'' Kumar said.

To a question, he replied that in Commonwealth Games, the strong contenders were Australia, England and Canada.

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