Gold Coast, Australia: Indian para swimmer Himanshu Nandal has begun an approximately 65-day high-performance training camp at Griffith University as he steps up preparations for the upcoming Asian Para Games.

Nandal is training under Paralympic medallist and coach Rick Pendleton, with the camp focused on improving his stroke efficiency, speed, power and endurance. The visually impaired swimmer competes across all four strokes — butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle — and specialises in the 200m Individual Medley.

The Australia stint follows a month-long training programme at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom, where Nandal worked with renowned coach Andy Wallace. His UK training focused on rebuilding aerobic fitness and refining his technique, while the extended Australia camp will help him develop greater speed, power and race endurance.

With the Asian Para Games a major target this season, Nandal is aiming to produce personal-best performances and challenge for a medal for India.

“The next few months are crucial for me as I prepare for the Asian Para Games. My objective is to significantly improve my timings, sharpen my technique and build the endurance needed to compete against the best athletes in Asia,” Nandal said.

He added that training under Pendleton provides an opportunity to learn from a coach experienced at the highest level of para swimming.

The Griffith University camp will provide Nandal with access to high-performance facilities, expert support and a competitive training environment. His focus will now be on converting the gains made during his international training programmes into strong race-day performances.

Nandal also has a long-term ambition of representing India at the Paralympic Games, making the current training phase an important step in his career.