Get this, India’s single Olympic berth in swimming has been granted to Gagan AP Ulalmath despite of him not being among the four that have made the Olympic invitation time, nor having qualified in the actual event. The thing is, when the four that had made the invitation cut weren’t invited by FINA, India reverted to have a swimmer selected under the ‘universality’ quota, where one of the requirements is for the swimmer to have competed at the last World Championships. Which Gagan had, while the four others as far as results goes better qualified hadn’t. Showing up at the World Championships apparently overrules swimming the actual event, as Gagan has been invited to compete in the London 2012 men’s 1500 freestyle despite him swimming only the 400 and 800 at Shanghai 2011, while Saurabh Sangvekar who actually made the 1500 Olympic invitation time is sidelined. India could have had two Universality spots if only they had sent a woman also to the World Championships, note to self: “Show up at the Worlds!”. Read for instance The Times of India and see the SCAQ Blog.
(Woouw, tough day in the ‘related video’ department)
