Top-3 finish will be great: Swimmer Virdhawal Khade

Virdhawal Khade during a training session

Maharashtra swimmer Virdhawal Khade's comeback trail has been right on track. The six-footer, who created history when he won a medal (bronze) after 24 years for India in the 50m butterfly category at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, went off the radar in 2012. Recently, he announced his return in style after winning gold in the 50m freestyle category at the 49th Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championships. He also won a silver in the 50m butterfly event.

However, Khade's big test will be next month, where he, along with Sajan Prakash and Srihari Nataraj, will represent India at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. "My training has been really good. I started training hard six months ago which is not enough time realistically to race at this level, but I've picked up and have improved quite rapidly. I am going into the meet in Australia very confident," Khade, who, at 16, became the youngest Indian swimmer to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, told mid-day yesterday.

'Need to be better'
Prasanta Karmakar's 50-meter freestyle (para-sport) bronze is India's only Commonwealth medal in swimming. Quizzed about his chances at Gold Coast, Khade, who finished sixth in the 2010 ­ in New Delhi, explained: "I should make the final, a top-three finish would be very good, but anything better than a sixth-place finish will be good."

India will be sending one of its smallest contingents to the quadrennial event. In the 2010 New Delhi edition, India had fielded 20 swimmers, 10 para-swimmers and three divers. In 2014 Glasgow, the number reduced to six. This year, it's only three. "It was a little strange because they should have at least sent a relay team, but these decisions are not up to us. The Commonwealth Federation allowed us only three slots and they've done the same with Singapore as well," added Khade, who took up swimming at the age of five.

Still battling injury
The return to the pool was not easy for Khade, a Speedo athlete, who underwent surgery on his right knee in January last year. "I have not quite fully recovered from the surgery. It will take a few more months, but after that is sorted, with Asian Games coming along, I should be in a good place," he added.

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