New Delhi, February 24 A three-day para-swimming coaching workshop, supported by the Australian High Commission, was launched here on Monday.
The workshop, to be held at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Swimming Complex, will feature experts and coaches exchanging ideas on how to improve and advance Indian para-swimming.
The three-day workshop will also be held at the Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE) in Gwalior.
Paralympic Committee of India president Devendra Jhajharia presented a shawl to Australian High Commissioner Philip Green during the inauguration ceremony.
Describing the initiative as his own, Green said that Australia was keen to share its expertise in para sports with India.
"We are delighted to bring this expertise to India to advance para swimming. Australia and India's collaboration has mostly been about cricket, but as India takes a natural step towards hosting global sporting events, Australia wants to remain a partner," Green said.
Manjushree Dayanand, Deputy Director General of the Sports Authority of India, welcomed the initiative. Former Olympian and coach Martin Roberts highlighted the technical complexities of para-swimming.
"Para-swimming presents numerous challenges due to the wide range of categories. It can be difficult for coaches to be technically proficient," Roberts said.
"Our focus is on adaptive coaching, which essentially means providing excellent coaching. This workshop is about working with para-athletes, understanding their limitations, and then providing them with appropriate support," he added.
Dr Virendra Kumar Dabas, Founder of Para Swimming in India, stressed the need to build a world-class ecosystem.
“The Indian para-swimming ecosystem should become world-class. For that, we need world-class coaches, international-level classifiers, and technical officials. Australia will surely help us with that,” he said.
“With Australia's support, we must dispel the myth that India cannot produce world-class para swimmers, as well as sprinters and track and field athletes,” he added.