Nethra Kumanan becomes second Indian sailor to book quota for Paris Olympics

By
Teja Devathoti
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7
Nethra Kumanan

Nethra Kumanan, a prominent figure in Indian sailing, has secured a quota for the Paris Olympics 2024. This achievement came after her performance at the Last Chance Regatta, an Olympic qualifier event held in Hyeres, France.

Nethra Kumanan’s Performance at the Last Chance Regatta

Kumanan was competing in the women’s dinghy (ILCA 6) category. She managed to score 67 net points, which led her to finish fifth on the overall leaderboard. Despite not being in the top three, Kumanan secured the Olympic quota as the top performer among sailors from the Emerging Nations Program (ENP) who had not yet obtained a quota.

Emerging Nations Program

The ENP is an initiative by World Sailing, the world governing body for the sport. The program aims to help athletes from less well-known sailing nations make an impact at the top level. Kumanan’s achievement is a testament to the success of this program in promoting talent from emerging nations.

Kumanan had previously represented India at the Tokyo Olympics and had competed at last year’s Asian Games, the Asian Sailing Championships, and the ILCA6 Women’s World Championships. However, she had not managed to secure a quota from those meets. Her success at the Last Chance Regatta marks a major step forward in her career and for Indian sailing.

With this achievement, Kumanan has become the second Indian sailor to secure a quota for the Paris Olympics. The first was Vishnu Saravanan, who secured a quota in the men’s dinghy at the ILCA 7 Men’s World Championship 2024 in Australia.

However, it’s important to note that the final decision on Kumanan’s participation in the Paris Olympics depends on the National Olympic Committees (NOCs). They have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games.

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