CWG 2026: Nataraj seals 100m backstroke SF berth; Sajan exits butterfly events
Glasgow, July 28
Srihari Nataraj extended India's campaign in the Commonwealth Games 2026 swimming competition by advancing to the men's 100m backstroke semifinals, while veteran Sajan Prakash's challenge came to an end after he missed qualification in the men's 50m butterfly on Tuesday.
Nataraj, a two-time Olympian and India's national record holder in the event, safely progressed after finishing among the fastest 16 swimmers across the heats. The Bengaluru swimmer stopped the clock at 55.58 seconds to place fifth in his heat and 13th overall, comfortably securing a place in the semifinals scheduled later in the day.
The 25-year-old covered the opening 50 metres in 26.26 seconds before completing the race in 55.58. Although well outside his personal best of 53.77 seconds, set in 2021 and still the Indian national record, the timing proved sufficient to keep his medal hopes alive.
The qualification comes a day after Nataraj featured in India's men's 4x200m freestyle relay team, which reached the final before finishing sixth.
In contrast, it proved to be another difficult outing for Sajan Prakash, whose Commonwealth Games campaign concluded without another appearance beyond the preliminary rounds.
Competing in the ninth and final heat of the men's 50m butterfly, the 32-year-old touched the wall in 24.94 seconds, placing eighth in his race and 28th overall. The performance left him well short of the qualification places and significantly outside his national record of 23.83 seconds.
The result followed another disappointing swim for the two-time Olympian, who had finished eighth in Monday's men's 200m butterfly final with a time of 1:58.05. That effort also fell below his personal best and national record of 1:56.38, highlighting a challenging campaign for one of India's most experienced swimmers.
With Nataraj progressing to the semifinals, India's hopes in the pool now rest largely on the backstroke specialist as he looks to become only the second Indian swimmer to win a Commonwealth Games medal.
To date, Prasanta Karmakar remains the country's lone medallist in Commonwealth Games swimming, having claimed bronze in the men's 50m freestyle S9 para event at the 2010 Delhi Games.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Tough for Sajan Prakash. He's 32 now, and his performance has dropped. It's sad to see an experienced Olympian struggle like this. Maybe it's time for the younger swimmers to take over? 🤔
Both Nataraj and Sajan are products of our system. The fact that we rely on just a couple of swimmers in every major meet shows the lack of depth in Indian swimming. Time to invest in grassroots programs and better coaching. Otherwise, Prasanta Karmakar will remain our only medalist forever. ☕
I admire Sajan Prakash for his dedication but at 32, he's definitely past his prime. It would be better if he transitioned into coaching now and helped nurture the next generation. The 50m butterfly time of 24.94 is way off his national record. 🤷♀️
Heartening to see Nataraj still fighting! 🥇 But let's be honest - 55.58 seconds in a race where his PB is 53.77 shows inconsistency. The gap between his best and current form is worrying. Hope the coaches are working on his starts and turns. Fingers crossed for the semifinal! 🙏
The 4x200m freestyle relay team finishing 6th is actually a decent result for India. Shows some progress in team events. But individual events are where we really need to improve. Nataraj is our only hope now. Let's see if he can make it to the final! 🏊♂️
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.