Rio berth is top priority: Sejwal

BENGALURU: With a year to go for the Rio Olympics, Indian swimmers will begin their quest for a berth in the quadrennial extravaganza, at the World Championships, currently underway in Kazan, Russia. The swimming events will be held from August 2-9.
India will be represented by a six-member contingent that includes Shivani Kataria as the lone woman entrant. The Haryana teenager has been handed a wild card entry by FINA, the world governing body.
The men's team will be spearheaded by two-time Olympian Sandeep Sejwal and includes another Olympian Virdhawal Khade, Aaron D'Souza and meet debutants Saurabh Sangvekar and Sajan Prakash.
Breast stroke-specialist Sejwal has already breeched the `B' qualifying mark of 1:02.69 in the 100m breaststroke event at the National Games earlier this year where he stopped the clock at 1:02.12. Since the `B qualifying mark is no assurance of a Rio berth, the 26-year-old is eying the `A qualifying mark of 1:00.57.
Sejwal, a bronze medal list at the 2014 Asian Games, said: "A Rio berth is top priority. I won't draw a line on my personal expectations because this is the first qualifying competition. There are many more to come in the next 12 months, but the sooner I achieve the `A' qualifying mark the better it would be for me."