58TH SETTE COLLI TROPHY

• Friday, June 25th – Sunday, June 27th
• Swimming Stadium of the Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
• LCM (50m)
• Olympic Qualifying Competition
• Start Lists
• Day 1 Recap
• Results 

Sajan Prakash of India made history today at the Sette Colli Trophy, becoming the first swimmer from his nation to ever register a FINA ‘A’ Olympic cut.

Competing in the slower heats of the men’s 200m fly at Swimming Stadium of the Foro Italico in Rome, Prakash powered his way to a new lifetime best of 1:56.38. The 27-year-old swimmers’ effort today hacked over half a second off of his previous PB and national standard of 1:56.96, a time he registered just earlier this month in Belgrade.

Prior to the month of June, Prakash held the Indian record in 1:57.73 from 2018, meaning the man has been tearing up the 1:56-zone this year with Olympic qualification in the balance.

Today, splitting 55.56/1:00.82, Prakash’s 1:56.38 cleared the FINA ‘A’ cut of 1:56.48 needed to qualify for the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan next month. Compare that to his previous 1:56.96 record’s splits of 56.92/1:00.04.

Prakash’s teammate, Srihari Nataraj, came oh-so-close to beating him to the punch yesterday, with Nataraj hitting a 100m back Indian record time of 53.90. That fell just .05 outside of the FINA ‘A’ ut of 53.85 for the 100m back.

Many congratulations to @swim_sajan who becomes the 1st Indian #swimmer 🏊‍♂️ to qualify for #Tokyo2020 as he clocks 1:56:38 in men’s 200m butterfly at the Sette Colli Trophy in Rome.

The qualification cut-off was 1:56:48.

Way to go champ! pic.twitter.com/G4KMcM8DKH

— SAIMedia (@Media_SAI) June 26, 2021