E-Paper
Swimmer Balakrishnan injured in attack
CWG medal prospect, young Tamil Nadu swimmer M B Balakrishnan was on Sunday severely injured when some unidentified persons attacked him here. The incident also put a question mark on his participation in the Games.
CWG medal prospect, young Tamil Nadu swimmer M B Balakrishnan was on Sunday severely injured when some unidentified persons attacked him here. The incident also put a question mark on his participation in the Games.
The 21-year-old backstroke specialist was on his way to the pool for a morning practice session when he was intercepted by four unidentified men. They attacked him with logs and sharp objects, police said.
The assailants fled when local people rushed to the spot. A severely wounded Balakrishnan was rushed to a private hospital. A gold medallist in the 11th South Asian Games in Dhaka earlier this year, Balakrishnan is a student of the Guindy Engineering College of the Anna University here. He had also bettered 50m and 100m backstroke records in the 64th Senior National Aquatic Championship held in Jaipur last month.
A case has been registered and police has initiated a probe.
Balakrishnan's coach Chandrasekar rued the swimmer might not be able to participate in the Games since only 28 days are left.
"It's unfortunate this kind of an incident has happened. I don't know when he can start practicing again. We do not know what the doctors would say. It is doubtful whether he will be able recover and join the team in time."
