Sajan Prakash Unsure Of 2030 CWG Push After Battling Burnout Post-Paris Olympics
Sajan Prakash Unsure Of 2030 CWG Push After Battling Post-Paris Olympics Burnout Written By, Last Updated: July 22, 2026, 08:30 IST After battling fatigue and
Sajan Prakash Unsure Of 2030 CWG Push After Battling Post-Paris Olympics Burnout Written By, Last Updated: July 22, 2026, 08:30 IST After battling fatigue and burnout post-Paris, Sajan Prakash is taking it one step at a time, focusing on 2026 before deciding if he can push for the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Rapid Read Indian swimmer Sajan Prakash For Sajan Prakash, the period following the Paris Olympics was more about recovery than results. The Indian swimmer found himself grappling with fatigue, both physical and mental, and chose to step back and reset. Now, as he charts his return, the 32-year-old is taking a measured, step-by-step approach, focusing on the 2026 season before deciding whether there is enough left in the tank to mount a push towards the 2030 Commonwealth Games, which India will host. Sajan finished in 46th position in the 100m butterfly event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with a timing of 53:45 and couldn’t qualify for the semis. That led to a burnout, and he took a lengthy break from the sport. But Sajan eventually returned to the pool and, at 32, is looking for one final push on the world stage. When asked about extending his career until the next Commonwealth Games, Sajan stopped short of making any firm commitment. “I would love to, but I am not sure if I have it in me.
After the Paris qualification campaign, I went through a difficult phase with a lot of fatigue and burnout. Thankfully, I am in a much better place now, both physically and performance-wise," Sajan replied to a query from News18 Sports during an interaction organised by the Sports Authority of India. “I don’t want to comment on it just yet because I want to take it one step at a time, see how the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games go and then make a decision. But since I have decided to make one final push, I will give it everything I have got," Sajan added. India’s only swimming medallist at the Commonwealth Games has been Prasanta Karmakar, who won a bronze in the men’s 50m freestyle S9, which is a para-event. No able-bodied swimmer has ever won a medal at the CWG. Given all the infrastructural challenges that Indian swimming faces to date, who does Sajan think can be the future flagbearers for the sport in India? The swimmer said that the stakeholders should play the biggest roles. “These questions have come up many times before and my answer depends on who is performing well at the current Championships. But the real answer is that success comes from investing in a long-term vision and a structured programme," Sajan said while speaking from Glasgow.
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