From MARCOS to Asian Para Games podium: Para swimmer Rohit recounts his journey 

Rohit Mitra 

New Delhi: Former MARCOS commando Rohit Kumar took up Para swimming barely months after a serious accident that left him wheelchair bound and within a year he won a medal for the country at the Asian Para Games 2026.

Rohit, who hails from Fatehabad district in Haryana clinched bronze in the Men’s 100m Backstroke SB4 at the Asian Para Games 2026 on October 21. He clocked a timing of 1.57, which is also the new national record.

The 25 year old overcame major medical issues and significant financial challenges while pursuing his sporting ambitions and bagged a continental medal in what was just his second international competition.

On January 26, 2025, Kumar met with a motorcycle accident which affected his spinal cord, he had to undergo surgery and a seven centimetre long rod was inserted into his spine.

Speaking to ‘Khel Today’ the 25 year old described his first meeting with his Coach Subedar Harender Singh Yadav as a turning point in his life

“I had a surgery, post which doctors said that I will not be able to walk for 6 months. I was undergoing rehabilitation at the Military Hospital, Khadki(Pune). There at a ceremony commemorating India’s first Paralympic Gold medalist Murlikant Petkar, I for the first time got to know about Para sports and I met my Coach Subedar Harender Singh Yadav, he asked me wheather I would like to be a swimmer, that for me was the turning point.”

He spoke about his intense training schedule that enabled his rapid progress

“I started training from September 26 (2025) onwards, the Nationals were scheduled for November. We underwent a rigours 40- day training period, it involved training twice a day- morning and evening, and an emphasis on diet. Incidentally the services trial selection were held at the same venue, I got selected and was now set to participate in the nationals. During those trials I made a national record of 2.19 seconds in the 100 m breaststroke.”

He credited his training as a MARCOS Comando for his strong mindset and fast progress

“The nine month long MARCOS training is like third degree torture, 1500 volunteered, 300 were selected and 26 completed training. The swimming training appeared mild to me when compared to the extremely hard MARCOS training.”

Besides the physical risk that he took by starting trainning soon after an accident, Rohit recounted the financial risks that he had to take for undergoing training

“I would go to the Army Paralympic Node for training, travelling to and fro, the taxi cost came to Rs 1200 on a daily basis. I needed to play an international tournament so as to get my medical classification done, and to stand any chance to get selected for the Asian Para Games. In the month of March I participated at the World Para Series that was held in Spain, due to the war the cost more than doubled I had to invest about Rs 15 lacs for going to the World Para Series, which was a last option for standing any chance to get selected in the Asian Para Games squad. Usually it would take Rs 6 lakhs to go and compete in those games, but due to the war, costs escalated to Rs 15 lakhs. At that point of time, becoming a wheelchair bound person I thought ‘what would I do by saving money?’ I thought ‘jitna Hai, laga do’. After doing all that, I clocked a disappointing timing of 2.21 in Spain.”

After the disappointment in Spain, he had to make some adjustments in his training

“I came back from Spain and restarted training in March 27, I had two months before the Asian Para Games trials started. After the negative experience in Spain I learnt many things, I put more emphasis on physiotherapy and muscle strength development. In training, I clocked 2.06 which was equivalent to the fourth place position. I set a new national record of 2.02 in the Asian Para Games trials ensuring my participation at Aichi Nagoya.”

Rohit, who aimed to clock 1.52 at the Asian Para Games suffered two major setbacks right before the competition

“Things did not go very well during the training camp at National Centre of Excellence(NCoE), Gandhinagar. During training I clocked 1.56. However I suffered a bladder infection due to which I missed seven days of training and could not sleep for four days. In swimming if you miss two days of training you go back by one week, I also had a shoulder injury which hampered my chances. Due to this I could not succeed in attaining my aim of clocking 1.52 seconds and finished with 1.57.”

Now that the Asian Para Games are behind him, Rohit has his sights set on the World Para Swimming Championships 2027 will take place in Guadalajara, Mexico next year.

“Currently I am preparing for the nationals that will be held in Bhopal from November 15 onwards, the larger picture remains World Championships in Mexico next year, I will be preparing for them and will need to significantly improve my timing for that” he signs off.