Indian sailor Nethra Kumanan secured India’s second quota in sailing for the Paris 2024 Olympics at the Last Chance Regatta in Hyeres, France, under the Emerging Nations Program (ENP).
Competing in the women’s dinghy (ILCA 6) category, Nethra Kumanan achieved 67 net points, securing fifth place overall and the top spot among sailors from the Emerging Nations Program who had not yet secured a quota.
World Sailing’s Emerging Nations Program aims to support athletes from lesser-known sailing nations to compete at the highest level. The top three sailors who secured Olympic quotas in the women’s dinghy category were Ebru Bolat from Romania (36 net points), Marilena Makri from Cyprus (37 net points), and Lin Pletikos from Slovenia (54 net points). Tatiana Drozdovskaya, a six-time Olympian competing as an individual neutral athlete, finished fourth and missed out on securing a quota.
The Last Chance Regatta served as the final qualifying event in sailing for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Nethra Kumanan, who represented India at the Tokyo Olympics, participated in various competitions, including the Asian Games, the Asian Sailing Championships, and the ILCA6 Women’s World Championships, prior to securing the quota at the Last Chance Regatta.
Out of the 17 Indian sailors who competed at the Last Chance Regatta, Nethra Kumanan was the sole participant to finish in the top 10.
Vishnu Saravanan, another Tokyo Olympian, secured India’s first quota in sailing for the Paris Olympics in the men’s dinghy category at the ILCA 7 Men’s World Championship 2024 in Australia.
However, the selection of athletes to represent India at the Paris Games ultimately rests with the National Olympic Committee, highlighting the importance of NOC selection for athletes’ participation in the Summer Games.
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