India’s new swimming sensation Virdhawal Khade’s career has received a big boost after the Mittal Champions Trust (MCT) committed to financially support his training schedule in the build-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. “Though Beijing and New Delhi are the immediate targets, we are actually looking at the 2012 Olympic Games when Khade will be at his prime as a swimmer,” said Manisha Malhotra, administrative officer at the MCT, to The Indian Express today.“The Mittal Champions Trust believes that Virdhawal has the talent and potential, so we are happy to give him the push he needs to get to the pinnacle of his sport,” she added. Khade shot into the limelight after he became the first Indian swimmer to directly qualify for the Olympics. He got the ticket to the 2008 Summer Games after he clocked 1:52.41, bettering the qualifying mark of 1:52.53, in the 200m freestyle event at the World Swimming Championships in Melbourne early in the year. As per the contract, the MCT will fund all his training programmes—home or abroad—travelling, coaching and every other need that may arise from time to time. Though both Khade and the MCT are looking at a long-term association, it is a one-year contract to start with. Renewal of it will depend on his progress, performance and comments from the coaches Khade will be working with. “That’s the way we have been doing with all others on board at the MCT,” added Manisha. Obviously elated with the support extended by MCT, Khade said that since the uncertainty is over he is more confident now. “I’m training very hard and enjoying my swimming. I already have a very strong team backing me and now with MCT’s funding I feel confident of doing my best,” Khade said. And his coach Nihar Amin, who had chalked out a highly ambitious plans for his ward which includes stints at the Olympic Swimming Centre in Hamburg under the watchful eye of assistant German national coach Olav Spahl and another stint with the legendary US swimming coach Richard Quick, is no doubt a relieved man today. “The MCT funding will now help him establish himself on the world map as he will now have access to the best training and resources,” he said. “We are keeping options of other sponsors and any government assistance open too,” said Khade’s career manager Hakimuddin Habibulla. Talking about government assistance, Swimming Federation of India (SFI) secretary Virender Nanavati said: “It has been quite some time now since we submitted a detailed proposal of his training programme to the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Sports but nothing has come out of it. “In any case we were in no mood to sit on it and spoil the future of such a talented swimmer.” When contacted, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Sports, I Srinivas denied having received any communication from the SFI or from its secretary. “I have not received any proposal from the SFI so far. In fact, I want to ask them what they intend to do. Everything I have learnt is only through the media and I am waiting to hear something from the persons concerned,” added Srinivas.
