Srihari Nataraj Refines His Approach Ahead of Asian Games
As the Asian Games approach, Indian swimmer Srihari Nataraj is entering a new phase of his career. The 24-year-old athlete from Karnataka is moving beyond raw promise into a realm of calculated precision. His current season reflects a streamlined approach to training and competition.
Strategic Reset from 2025 Season
Srihari Nataraj points to the previous season as a crucial turning point. The 2025 year represented what he calls a strategic reset for his swimming career. He made a significant decision that altered his competitive trajectory.
Instead of targeting the Asian Championships as his primary meet, Srihari chose to focus on the World University Games. This choice reshaped not just his competition calendar but also his technical priorities. He narrowed his racing portfolio, placing greater emphasis on freestyle events.
Meanwhile, he treated backstroke his primary strength as an ongoing development area rather than a fixed destination. This calculated approach yielded both competitive results and personal reassurance.
Learning from Experimentation
It was something new for me, Srihari explained in a recent conversation. I switched events, changed my training methods, and even altered my focus meets. Typically, the Asian Championships would be the main target, but last year it was the University Games. Overall, it was a very good year.
More importantly, this experimental season generated valuable data physical, technical, and psychological that now informs his Asian Games preparation. The insights gained help shape his current training regimen and competition strategy.
Focus on Continuity for 2026
For the upcoming season, Srihari emphasizes continuity over correction. I will go back to my backstroke events, he stated. I will still compete in freestyle races, but backstroke will be my primary focus. I want to train the same way I did in 2025, with some minor adjustments.
He highlighted the importance of new support systems in his preparation. We now have added support in biomechanical and race analysis, and that plays a significant role. I am a big believer in being fast in training, so I work on that every single day.
Addressing Broader Challenges in Indian Swimming
Beyond his personal journey, Srihari offered frank observations about Indian swimming's systemic challenges. He pointed to the difficulty of sustaining talent over extended periods as a particular concern.
I will be 25 during the Games. I feel old! But I train and swim fast regularly, which helps me handle multiple events in a day. At the Asian Championships, I swam five races in a single day. Most junior swimmers, or even those my age, would not be able to compete the next day, he explained.
This endurance advantage comes from consistent, high-intensity training that many younger swimmers struggle to maintain. Srihari's experience highlights both his personal resilience and the broader developmental gaps within Indian swimming.
His current preparation combines lessons from strategic experimentation with renewed focus on his core strengths. As the Asian Games draw nearer, Srihari Nataraj represents an athlete refining his craft through experience and data-driven adjustments.
