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Olympic Odyssey
London Olympics 1948 selection meet happened at Azad
Hind Bag’s National corner. No other state’s players took part
except Bengal and Mumbai.
Ananda Bazar Patrika wrote (24th Baishakh, 1355): Sachin Nag made a
new record of 1 min and 4 second breaking his own record of 1 min
4.2 sec.
After 5 months of being bed ridden for some accident
and only within 3 months of normal movement, setting a new record is
indeed a sign of great achievement.
On the basis of this trial Indian swimming team was formed for
London Olympic.
Nag was selected both in swimming and water polo events.He was the
best water polo player of India and indeed he had no equal in that
game in the country at that time.
In London Olympiad he scroed four goals against Chille whom India
beat by seven goals to four. But during the first Asian games he was
mysteriously dropped from the water polo side at the last moment
when he was quite fit to play the game. Sachin Nag once again proved
him-self as the best and the fastest swimmer of India in 100 metre
free-styleat the time of selection trial in Madras for Helsinki
Olympic in 1952.
India didn’t win any medal in those Olympic because they didn’t had
any idea about the international swimming style. Nobody was aware of
hydro dynamics, Nag used to practice by repelling water hyacinth in
the pond and by spreading wood powder waste on the banks of pond. If
he had got any support of good coach or opportunity of swimming pool
then probably he would have done better in both the Olympics.
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