Sajan Prakash took a step closer to his ultimate podium dream and delivered a tough and tactical performance to qualify for the men’s 200m butterfly final on the first day of the Commonwealth Games 2026.
The 32-year-old two-time Olympian touched the wall in heat 2 at the international aquatic center in Glasgow with a final time of 1:58.59, a good second place finish in his race. Sajan showed great pace early on, dictating terms and charging in strong form in the middle of the race to take the halfway stage with a split of 56.31 seconds and briefly held the lead. Glasgow favorite Duncan Scott was ahead in the final meters to win the heat in 1:58.29 but Sajan's strong run in the heat ensured he was automatically qualifying and was in a good position to get in.
His time placed him sixth overall in the preliminary heats and he secured a spot in the top eight group. His timing in his heat was slower than his personal best of 1:57.09 from the Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championships this year, which showed he was prepared for the medal round.
As he enters the final stage of his long-term international career, Sajan has made months of hard work to get a historic podium finish. He went to a three-week speed-training camp in Edinburgh and high-altitude training in Sierra Nevada, Spain. He has been closely trained by former India swimmer and Asian Games medallist Sandeep Sejwal as he is interested in fitness and training and his focus is on recovery, nutrition, sleep hygiene and breath work.
Sajan’s career, which has spanned years from the Paris Olympics to the Asian Games, has been one of great endurance. From the physical and mental pain of not being able to go ahead with the Paris Olympic cycle, to hitting it big in the domestic game under IIS, the Kerala-born swimmer is still one of the most important figures in modern Indian swimming. He is also the first Indian swimmer to attain Olympic qualification directly prior to the Tokyo Games (OQT).
Now, as he steps onto the starting blocks for the high-stakes final in Glasgow, Sajan Prakash is on the cusp of writing a glorious final chapter for Indian aquatics on the grand multi-sport stage, aiming to turn years of relentless dedication into an unforgettable medal-winning triumph.
