Despite initial struggle, TN sailor Nethra’s topsy-turvy journey to Paris

Chennai: Even when things were not going as per expectations, sailor Nethra Kumanan kept her cool and secured a spot for the Paris Olympics after finishing fifth in the women’s ILCA 6 dinghy event at the Last Chance Regatta in Hyeres, France, last week. She booked a berth after finishing top among the ENP (Emerging Nations Program) sailors who had not yet obtained a quota.

Nethra, who was expected to seal a Paris ticket much earlier, delivered when it mattered most – in the final qualifying tournament. “I had expected to qualify for the Paris Olympics last year itself, but I missed out on earning the berth by close margins in a few qualifying events. Now, I am relieved to have finally done it. At the Last Chance Regatta, I always knew there would be pressure and I enjoyed it as it would get the best out of me. I could have been in the top-3, but I wanted to bag a quota. The weather was cold and I lost energy in the last few races. With the way I have grown over the past few years, I knew I had it in me to qualify and take the ENP spot,” Nethra told TOI. Nethra had a chance to seal the deal at the Hangzou Asian Games, but she fell short. Furthermore, she lost another opportunity to qualify at the recent ILCA 6 World Championships .

“At the Asian Games, I knew that I was capable of winning a medal, but it did not go my way. I kept grinding it out without losing focus. I wanted to improve my decision-making skills which would help me become a better sailor. At the World Championships, I did not expect anything and just wanted to race. I was doing pretty well and was in contention to obtain a quota but somehow after the initial few days of races, I got under pressure and missed out once again. That taught me not to look at the consequences and to just go out in the water and sail,” Nethra added.

The world No. 61 has been training under Tamas Eszes, at the European Sailing Academy since 2019. “He (Eszes) has hired a French coach who knows about the Olympic venue in Marseille. They have got together and are trying to put everything together, ahead of the Olympics.” Nethra has become more professional and understands the nuances of the sport better. “I did not have much knowledge of the venue in the Tokyo Olympics. The sport is dependent on weather and location; I did not know much about them. At that time, it was all about qualifying and I was good enough to get through. But now I have a good understanding of the venue and have already been there before. After a short break at home, I will be practising there (Marseille) for close to one-and-a-half months which would help me get accustomed much better to the conditions.”