Agnishwar: The next Phelps in the making

Chennai:

J Agnishwar is Asia's fastest under eighteen breaststroke swimmer and had won six gold medals in the South Asian Swimming Championship in Pakistan last year. Now Agnishwar is busy working seven hours a day for the October Commonwealth Youth Games.

But Agni's real target is aiming at the gold medal in next Olympics and being trained at Texas USA by Randy Reese, one of the best coach in the world.

Agnishwar, Under 18 National Swimming Champion, said "My next goal is the Commonwealth Games and will try to bring a medal for India. But yes you could see a star being born in 2012."

Agni's parents are equally determined. They got him trained in the US for two years and have put him under Nihar Ameen, who has trained three Olympians.

R N Jayaprakash, Agni's father, said, "We had started preparing for 2012 in 2002 itself, a ten year preparation."

He has a great attitude, he wants to be great, he's committed, these are his strengths, said Nihar Ameen.

Agni doesn't attend classes daily but takes coaching online from his teachers. This he says gives him a greater focus than other competitors as he prepares for the world championship, Asian games and the Commonwealth Games coming up over the next two years.

With six gold medals from Agniswar could certainly be India's hope for an Olympic gold. Who knows he could even be India's Phelps.