Srihari Nataraj

Srihari Nataraj was born on January 16, 2001, in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. His swimming career began at a young age, inspired by his elder brother. By 2016, at just 15 years old, he made a notable international debut at the South Asian Aquatic Championships in Colombo, securing gold medals in the 100m and 200m backstroke, along with a gold in the 4x100m medley relay and a silver in the 50m backstroke. This early success established him as a significant talent in Indian swimming. He continued to build his experience in 2017, winning multiple gold medals at the National Junior Aquatic Championships in Pune and participating in the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Turkmenistan.

Nataraj represented India at various major international competitions, including the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast and the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. While he did not reach the finals at these events, he gained valuable experience and set a personal best in the 100m backstroke at the Asian Games. He also participated in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. The year 2019 saw him excel domestically and regionally, winning six gold medals at the Khelo India Youth Games and four gold medals at the South Asian Games in Kathmandu. His performance at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships provided further exposure to elite competition.

His career reached a significant milestone in 2021 when he became only the second Indian swimmer to achieve an Olympic ‘A’ cut, qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the 100m backstroke. He also had a dominant showing at the Senior National Aquatic Championships, winning multiple gold medals and setting meet records. Nataraj continued to represent India at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, reaching the finals in the 50m and 100m backstroke and setting a new Indian national record in the 200m backstroke. He competed in his second consecutive Olympic appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, further solidifying his position as a prominent figure in Indian swimming. His consistent performance at both national and international levels, including 14 Indian national swimming records, underscores his commitment and achievements in the sport.