New technical director for Maharashtra swimming

Taking another step on putting Maharashtra’s plungers on the international map, Glenmark Aquatic Foundation (GAF), Andheri (E), has appointed Peter Gartell, as its technical director. He is a veteran swimming coach with 40 years’ experience of coaching Australia’s top swimmers. Peter has coached Olympic medallists like Justin Lemberg and Julie McDonald to name a few. In India, the 67-year old has joined Glenmark Aquatic Foundation and he will be mentoring young swimmers in the next 3 years.

As the world celebrated World Aquatics Day on July 2, Maharashtra topped the medal tally with 17 Gold, 6 Silver and 7 bronze medals at the Sub-junior National Aquatic Championship with Mumbai’s Sanjiti Saha and Vedika Amin smashing records.

“I have spent some days at the Glenmark Aquatic Foundation Center in Mumbai and Delhi and I have observed the Sub-Junior National Championship 2017, there are talented kids with potential to win medals at the top level. Therefore, India has good swimming talents but compared to US or Australia, India needs a robust and reshaped swimming coaching development programme that will assure standardisation and regular upgradation of good coaching techniques based on international competitive scenario. The number of new national records created in the recently concluded 34th Glenmark Sub Junior Aquatic Championship 2017 is a good indication for Indian swimming,” said Gartell.

Maumbai’s Sanjit Saha, Uttkarsh Ghor and Vedika Amin combined contributed 13 gold medals in the individual creating total seven new records during the three days of the Championship.

While discussing Mumbai’s young talent crushing national records in numbers, Peter asserted, “The young talent pool irrespective of states they represent, few amongst them are regular at national level and have potential to represent India in the future. It was very positive to see that 21 national records were created in 34th Sub Junior Aquatic Championships 2017. Mumbai’s swimmers Sanjiti and Vedika are highly promising.”

The FINA World Aquatics Day is a day to celebrate and encourage the power of aquatic sports for social wellbeing and development in all corners of the world. It is celebrated every year during the first weekend of July, before July 19th - the date of the foundation of FINA in London 1908, marking each year the anniversary of FINA.

As he talks about his immediate plans, he explains, “My first and foremost priority will be to identify talented swimmers with right attitude and make sure they get worked appropriately. Another priority would be inculcating good swimming techniques in the swimmers and help improve the knowledge of the coaches.”

Speaking about India’s odds in Olympics 2020, the Aussie veteran said, “I believe India’s strength may lie in the middle and long- distance swimming rather than the shorter distance looking at India’s physical  built up. Initially they should focus in 400m and further. With improvement in country’s coaching standards, one can expect improved performances in the future.”