Khelo: Training at SAI centre aides swimmer Mondal to shine

Young swimmer Swadesh Mondal seems to have made a habit of leaving spectators stunned almost everytime he dives into pool.

The Delhi swimmer achieved the phenomenal feat of winning gold medals and breaking national records in each of the five events he participated in at the National Aquatic Championship in 2018.

He has already won four gold medals, including one in the relay, during the ongoing Khelo India games.

Swadesh might easily seem to be a natural at swimming, but he's done his fair share of the hard yards into making himself the champion he is.

"I used to travel a distance of almost 70 km daily to get to training back in Bengal. The pool in a nearby village was the only decent one in my district, and I had to get there," Swadesh was quoted as saying in a media release Monday.

Swadesh didn't start off with the aim of being a professional swimmer, but then took up the sport quite seriously and hasn't looked back.

He won three gold medals in his first state-level competition in 2014 and his first national medal in 2015.

He has won numerous medals and has broken records in national championships that have followed since.

He had offers flowing in to train at the SAI training centres in Kolkata and Delhi, and he decided to train at the latter given the superior facilities and equipment available there.

On the coaches and facilities at the SAI Glenmark training centre in Delhi, Swadesh said, "There has been a big improvement in my performances since I started training in Delhi and I am glad I made the move".