Indian swimmers set for World Aquatic Championships challenge (Preview)

Indian swimmers Sandeep Sejwal, Aaron D'Souza, Virdhawal Khade, Saurav Sangvekar, Sajan Prakash and others are geared up to distinguish themselves at the aquatic World Championships beginning here on Friday.

The event at Kazan will stretch till August 9 is an important warm-up event to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

More than 2,500 athletes from 186 countries, a record participation, are expected to take part in six disciplines; swimming, synchronised swimming, diving, high diving, water polo and open water swimming.

Kazan football stadium is being temporarily transformed into an aquatics venue - with two Olympic-size swimming pools being built on the pitch.

"Obviously, the goal for every one of us is to make the cut-offs so that we can qualify for Rio. And personally, a top-16 finish will give me a chance to enter the evening races, which is a big thing," Sandeep Sejwal was quoted as saying by swimindia.in.

While awaiting permission from the union government to train abroad, the swimmers trained in India for the largest multi-athletic event.

The Indian swimmers were trained for the event in Bengaluru. Only Khade moved to Mumbai to continue his training after the 2015 National Games in Kerala.

Renowned coach Nihar Ameen has trained Virdhawal and Sejwal for the competition.