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Vol. XXXIV No. 5, June 16-30, 2024
Nethra, the champion sailor from Chennai
-- by V. Venkataramana
Citius, Altius, Fortius (Swifter, Higher, Stronger) is the motto of the Olympic Games, the sports arena that every ambitious sportsperson aims to compete in. The previous edition – the Tokyo Olympics – saw four young sailors from India winning accolades for their skill, if not medals. It is a mark of pride for Chennai that the city’s own Nethra Kumanan,member of the Tamil Nadu Sailing Association (TNSA) will participate in the forthcoming Paris Olympics.
The achievement comes after her impressive performance at The Last Chance regatta held at Hyeres, where she competed fiercely in the ILCA 6 class of boat. Nethra showcased her skill, determination and unwavering resolve throughout the regatta, and her exceptional sailing process enabled her to clinch a fifth place finish, and secured her the vital third spot allocated to countries in the Emerging Nations Program (ENP), which includes India. The remarkable feat not only guaranteed India’s participation in the Paris Olympics, but also etched Nethra’s name in the annals of the sport.
The upcoming Paris Olympics will mark Nethra’s second consecutive qualification to participate. Madras Musings spoke to the athelete about her incredible journey.
Her introduction to sailing began when she joined TNSA and the annual summer sailing camp in 2011, when she was 14 years old; the very next year, Nethra participated in her first Nationals. Years of dedicated training followed, and her first qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics marked a historic moment for Indian sailing as she became the first Indian woman to achieve this milestone in the ILCA 6 class. It must be noted that though she is an established sailor, Nethra is no pushover in academics – she holds a degree in BE Mechanical Engineering from SRM University, where she is also pursuing her MBA.
Between 2018 and 2024, Nethra has bagged medals in the Canadian Olympic Sailing Week competition; the Mapfre Euromed Regatta; the Regatta de Carnival; the Asian Open Laser Championship; the Europa Cup; the World Sailing Championship; the Abu Dhabi Open Regatta; the Gran Canaria NY Regatta; Hempel World Series Miami, Asian Games 2022 and many, many more. Now, as she prepares to face her second Olympics qualification, Nethra is re-affirming her strong position in this popular water sport. She is confident, she says, that she will do well at the Paris Olympics; but she appears modest about her chances of bringing home a medal. “It is a grand stage, the Paris Olympics. I will strive to bring glory to the nation, but right now I’m aiming to finish among the top 16 or 20 in the final results” she shares, adding that she will soon be leaving for Spain for three months of training.
