A RevSportz Exclusive
Indian swimmer, Srihari Nataraj, will be participating in the Paris Olympics in the 100m backstroke. He represented India in Tokyo 2020 and in the Asian Games in Hangzhou China. In this exclusive conversation with RevSportz, Nataraj opened up on his journey, personal goals, the inspiration he takes from tennis legend Rafael Nadal and more.
Q: How are the final lap of preparations going ahead of the Paris Olympics?
Nataraj: It’s been pretty much the same for me for the last few weeks. Routine training and keeping to the basics. Currently I’m training in Bangalore and will be reaching the Games village on the 21st.
Q: You participated in the Tokyo Olympics. Now in your second Olympic Games, how do you see yourself as a more developed athlete?
Nataraj: I think I am a much more mature athlete now. I know how to deal with emotions better. I know my body better now, my strengths and weaknesses better. Overall, I know a lot more now than I used to back then in Tokyo. I am now a better version of myself.
Q: Walk us through your journey in swimming. When did swimming start for you and why did you choose 100m backstroke as your event?
Nataraj: I started swimming when I was two. My brother used to go for swimming and I used to go there. So, 21 long years of swimming for me. Soon I started taking it seriously and my proper training started when I was six. I realised this is something I am good at and it can be a thing for me.
Coming to backstroke, I didn’t choose it. I don’t like backstroke. Never liked it as a child and I still don’t like it. But I realised I was good at it, and my coaches realised that and made me do it on a serious level. It just comes naturally to me and I have skills in backstroke that others in this country don’t. But it’s not the stroke I like to train, and it’s not my pick. I only do it because I am good at it.
Q: So, which is your favourite stroke?
Nataraj: I used to like the 200-metre freestyle a lot and the butterfly. But if you ask me, which would be my favourite stroke to race now, I think the 200m freestyle would be my favourite event.
Q: What are the challenges in 100m backstroke and how would you distinguish it from the other forms of swimming?
Nataraj: Well, I think it is much more difficult for a matter of fact that it is on your back and the others are on your stomach, so the control is less in backstroke. You have to have a lot more natural balance and skill to be good at backstroke.
Q: How do you deal with adverse situations?
Nataraj: I take a lot of pride in my mental capabilities and I credit my training for most of that. I have made it a habit to be good at my training and whenever in doubt I reflect back and say to myself that I have done it in training and now I just have to execute it.
Q: Anything in particular you do, to keep yourself mentally fit?
Nataraj: I watch movies and listen to music. I do watch a lot of sports and play many sports. I come from a cricket family and I love playing cricket. But whenever I get any chance to play any sport, I am always up for it. And I will play it competitively, not just for the sake of it. Tennis, football, basketball, anything.
Q: As you mentioned tennis, we have read that you are a huge Rafael Nadal fan. What have you learned from Nadal and how has he inspired you?
Nataraj: Ever since I was a kid, I was a Nadal fan. I do have some Federer fans in my home and I grew up watching their matches and the situations were intense in my home whenever they used to play. I just love the way Nadal plays and I think he is one of the greatest athletes ever, let alone tennis.
Q: So, what is that one thing you take from Nadal which helps you to be a better version of yourself?
Nataraj: There’s a lot I take from Nadal. How he takes care of his equipment; he never broke a racquet, nor threw or smashed it out of anger. I also take care of my equipment. I love how he handles tough situations. When there is the slightest hope, he manages to get out of it.
One other thing I picked up from him is that whenever I enter the stadium or training, I keep my water bottle in a certain way, and it has to be like that for me. Not that it affects me or my game in any way, but whenever I walk into the arena every day for training, I keep the bottle at the same spot in the same way.
Q: Do these things help?
Nataraj: I don’t know about others, but if there is something that goes in a certain way, not the bottle thing only, it helps me stay calmer. If someone else’s bottle is there, I just shift it and put mine there. I think for me to get started, it needs to be there. (Laughs)
Q: Any other event you are looking forward to in the Paris Olympics?
Nataraj: Well, I met Djokovic in Tokyo. Hoping to meet Nadal this time. I will be going to the Tennis men’s doubles to watch Nadal and Alcaraz play. Also, I want to go to USA’s basketball match to see Lebron; probably playing his last Olympics. But you never know, with the next one being in Los Angeles, Lebron might carry on till 2028 the way he is playing at the moment at 39.
Q: Favourite swimmer?
Nataraj: All my favourite swimmers are retired. But I like the way Caeleb Dressel swims. He is really fast and strong. When you see him in person you get that vibe. I was standing next to him in Tokyo and when he dived during the warmup, he looked so strong and smooth. That was amazing.
Q: What is your plan for the next few weeks before the Games?
Nataraj: I will just keep to my basics and will start walking a lot more. There is usually a lot of walking in the games village and I have to get accustomed to it, so that I don’t get too tired due to walking. Usually in our academy, we drive to the pool gate, but now I’ll get down at the academy gate and walk all the way to the pool and then walk back after training. It’s just to train my legs for the walking that I’ll have to do in the village. It’s generally 10-15 thousand steps every day during these games, compared to two or three thousand steps which I generally do on normal days.
Q: Any target that you have set for yourself for Paris?
Nataraj: I know that if I do my Personal Best, I will make the semifinals. I am not keeping any time in mind. My biggest goal for Paris is to execute the best I can. I have an ideal way of swimming, which I haven’t been able to do in recent times. I know if I can execute it correctly, it will help me get to my best time and that is what I am keeping in mind.