Southern winters pay dividends for Patiala swimmer, bags bronze in World School Games

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“It’s perhaps his biggest achievement so far. Sahil made three new national records in the School National Games held in Rajkot, Gujarat in February and straight after the games, he went to Bengaluru to train. Patiala does not have an all-weather pool and he wanted to train ahead of the World School games. He was confident of winning the medal before going to Poland and we are happy that he has achieved this feat,” said his father Sanjeev Chopra, who is a Head Constable with the Punjab Police in Patiala. Sahil started swimming in 2007 and two months into the sport, he suffered a fracture in his arm and had to sit for more than six months at home. But the then Guru Harkishan public School student soon resumed training and went on to win his first bronze medal in the 50 m Breaststroke event in the State School National Games held in Ropar in 2007. The win followed a gold medal finish in the School National Games held in Sholapur, Maharashtra in 2009 and he also made headlines when he made new national records in 50 m and 100 m breaststroke events in the CBSE Nationals held in Jaipur in 2010.

Soon Chopra, who now studies in Veer Haqiqat Rai School in Patiala, shifted base to Bengaluru to train during the winters and with the expenditure of Rs 40,000 for one month, it was a tough choice for his family. Sahil’s sister Sunidhi Chopra is also a national-level swimmer and has won medals at state-level.

“He broke his arm two months after he started swimming. But he always wanted to be a swimmer and joined swimming at Mohindra College Swimming Pool. After 2010, he showed the desire to train at the Dolphin Academy, where his idol Virdhawal Khade has trained.

His monthly expenditure was Rs 40,000 and we had to sell some shares and break some fixed deposits to pay for his fees. This medal is the reward of all his hard work,” said Sahil’s mother Kajal Chopra.

Sahil trained under coaches Raj Kumar and Mahinder Singh Sidhu during his initial years and still trains with them in summers. “He has spent much time with Khade and this will improve him a lot,” shared Punjab Sports Department coach Raj Kumar. It’s a dream come true for me. Competing in Europe is always a challenge for a swimmer from India and I am happy that I won the bronze medal. I do not train at all weather pool normally and conditions were suited for my swimming here. I returned with my career best timing of 23.28 seconds and it will boost my confidence a lot,” Sahil said.