Bengaluru, April 29: At a celebration dinner hosted by Jain University Chancellor Dr. Chenraj Roychand Jain on Thursday for their champion swimmers, who have ensured that the hosts are at the top of the medal tally with a host of medals at the ongoing Khelo India 2021 University Games, the focus was on two local swimmers.
Swimmers have given Jain University a big boost and the spotlight was on two champions, Olympian Srihari Nataraj and his contemporary Siva Sridhar, whose performances stood out at the prestigious event.
“I need my usual ice cream after every race,” Srihari exclaimed, looking at Siva, who nodded. “We both usually have a big scoop of ice cream after our races, this has been a habit for many years,” said Siva, who took home a total of seven golds and two silvers. while Srihari pocketed six gold and one silver.
The two swimmers — enemies in the pool but dear friends outside of it — have been keeping a close eye on each other’s success since 2008, organizers said in a statement Friday.
“I met Siva in 2008 during a Swim Life competition for non-medalists. He beat me in every event,” Srihari vividly recalls, adding that he beat him the following year in the same events.
The two have shared a healthy rivalry over the years, whether it be Sub-Junior Nationals, Junior Nationals or Senior Nationals. “I think until 2014, he would beat me in almost every backstroke event. That was our main event: 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke. The races were always close,” Srihari recalled.
From analyzing each other’s performances to discussing who was the best in a race, from passing along compliments on their races to exchanging notes on their training sessions, the duo joke nonstop when they’re out of the water.
“We are fighting in the pool, but when we are outside, we are very good friends. We have also known each other’s families for a long time and it has always been this healthy rivalry,” explained Siva, who is about to win the title of individual champion in the KIUG 2021 with the maximum number of medals.
While Siva is the quietest and likes to listen, Srihari is not one to stop chattering. Giving unwarranted advice more often than not, Srihari said: “Sometimes he doesn’t plan his races well. He opens up too quickly and ends up being slower at his finish, but I think here, he was really good in most of his races, particularly in the 200m IM (where Siva set a new meet record).” “He. Sometimes he gives me really good advice and sometimes he makes me nervous so I just ignore him,” laughed Siva reacting to Srihari’s advice.
But reflecting on his own performance in recent years, especially compared to that of Srihari, who became the youngest ever to record the Olympic qualifying mark, Siva said: “I think I lost precious years when I chose to go to South Africa. for three years on a swimming scholarship in April 2015. I was homesick, I had become very skinny and came back much slower.When I saw Srihari at the 2017 Junior National Championships in Pune, I thought wow, way ahead of my.
“That’s when I realized things weren’t working out for me in South Africa, I had a hit and a plateau and decided to go back to India for good. When I came back I couldn’t even qualify for nationals. It was bad and I’ve really had to work hard to recover.” Playing catch-up now, Siva is hoping to build on the tremendous confidence he has gained from his performances here at the Khelo India 2021 University Games to up their game in the coming months, where they will compete in a number of events, including the Senior Nationals. , where Siva would attempt to make the mark for the Asian Games.
“I am taking away a lot from my performances here at KIUG. I am relieved to know that I can still make the cut for the Asian Games, where I want to participate in the 100m backstroke together with Hari (Srihari) who has already qualified,” Siva said. .
“It would be really nice if she can qualify for the Asian Games and if we can both swim the 100m backstroke like in the old days. Now, she needs to cut almost 1.5 seconds off the 100m backstroke and also has a chance in the 200m IM. and I definitely think he can do it,” Srihari signed.