It is a history of sorts for the Indian swimmers, who for the very first time have made it to the impending Olympics Games in Beijing. Though a four member team will be participating, it will be Virdhawal Khade on whom all attention will be fixed. Khade has became the first ever Indian to qualify for three events - 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle.

Virdhawal Khade, however, is not building castles in the air. Though happy with his qualifying for the Beijing Olympics, he is well aware that a medal is still a distant dream for him. But he has time on his hands and is a prospect for the future. At the moment, Virdhawal Khade states he is excited over the prospect of competing against the world’s best.

‘As things stand today, I am not in medal contention. Beijing will be a very good experience and it will be my privilege to race against the best in the world. I’ll be really happy if I can make it to the 50 metres semifinal,’ Virdhawal Khade said.  After clinching the qualification mark in the 200 metres freestyle in Melbourne’s World Championship previous year, this Kolhapur teenager is on a record breaking spree.

In the Malaysian Open this year, Khade qualified for the 50 metres and 100 metres freestyle. During last month’s World Youth Championship held in Mexico, the national records kept on breaking.  Khade unwaveringly kept on bettering on his own 100 metres and 200 metres freestyle records.

It was in the 50 metres when Virdhawal Khade’s most remarkable record was clinched. He clocked 22.69 seconds and broke the 1998 record of 22.89 made by Sebastian Xavier. Khade presently has five national records in the 50, 100, 200 and 400m freestyle and 50m butterfly segments.