Karnataka Swimming Association (KSA) has conducted a pioneering four-day quantitative biomechanical assessment camp for 20 of the state’s top swimmers, marking the first time in India that a state swimming association has undertaken such a detailed performance analysis as part of a structured programme.

The camp, held at the Centre for Excellence (CSE) campus, aimed to prepare swimmers for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, later this year.

The initiative was organised in association with Swimple Sport Lab, which engaged Niels De Boer, Head Coach of Hellas-Glana, a leading Dutch First Division team, to oversee the assessments.

During the four-day camp, swimmers underwent an extensive evaluation of key performance indicators, including stroke length and rate, wall contact time during turns, take-off and entry angles during starts, underwater trajectory and efficiency, and consistency across repeated trials.

Speaking about the programme, KSA President Gopal Hosur, IPS, said, “This is an important year for swimming with the Asian Games scheduled in September. We want to support our swimmers with the best technology available to enhance their performance. The feedback from this camp was very encouraging, and we will explore more such opportunities in the future.”

KSA Secretary Satish Kumar added, “Initiatives like this not only refine a swimmer’s technique but also boost their confidence in tackling major training challenges ahead.”

Coach Niels De Boer, former Dutch national champion, emphasised the importance of technical development at a young age.

“There is strong enthusiasm, motivation, and natural talent among these swimmers. To fully develop their potential, it is crucial to focus on technical skills such as body position, stroke mechanics, and fundamental movement before increasing training volume or intensity,” he said.

Aditya Kariappa, founder and CEO of Swimple Sport Lab, highlighted the role of real-time underwater video feedback in accelerating technical learning.

“Using our underwater camera systems, swimmers could view footage within 30 seconds, apply corrections immediately, and repeat the skill while the kinaesthetic feedback was still fresh. This significantly accelerates learning,” he explained.

The camp primarily focused on stroke correction, optimisation of starts and turns, and establishing objective performance baselines, supporting long-term athlete development in Karnataka.