From break to bronze: Rower Siddharth Sunil makes triumphant comeback

CHENNAI: Despite stepping away from the sport in 2018, Tamil Nadu’s Siddharth Sunil proved he still has what it takes, winning a bronze medal in the open men’s individual 2000m event at the National Rowing Indoor Championships held recently at the SAI NCOE in Alappuzha.

A decade-long rowing career came to a pause in 2018. The year before, Siddharth had been part of the Indian camp for the Asian Championships, but a back injury forced him to withdraw. Later that year, at the Jakarta Asian Games, most heavyweight sweep rowing events were removed from the programme, effectively ending his chances of making the national squad.

“Since I was a heavyweight rower, I wasn’t considered for the Indian camp anymore. That’s when I decided to let go of any ambition of rowing for the country and moved on with my career,” Siddharth told DT Next.

For over six years, Siddharth remained absent from the national scene, and between 2019 and 2022, he stayed away from the sport entirely while pursuing higher studies abroad.

It was in late September 2022, during his time in the United Kingdom, that he began reconnecting with rowing.

“I started training again and got back into decent shape by the end of 2023,” he said. “By 2025, I was fully fit and ready to compete again.”

Alongside his return to competition, Siddharth has also been working as a strength and conditioning coach, with nearly seven years of experience. “I realised this was the right time to re-enter the national circuit,” he added.

Although he had previously won multiple medals in traditional on-water rowing, Siddharth has found a renewed sense of purpose through indoor rowing, which uses a stationary ergometer.

“I chose indoor rowing because I use it as a way to stay fit, and it also helps me mentally – I feel sharper and more focused,” he said.

Siddharth credits his time competing for clubs in the UK for helping him rediscover his form. Even with less training than before, he felt faster than he had been in the past, and his performance has now earned him a place in the Indian team for the Indoor Asian Championships, to be held in Thailand from 26 to 31 May.

“I qualified through my club results, and winning a national medal secured my spot. Now, I’ll be representing India and will be aiming for a medal at this stage of my career,” he said.

Siddharth also praised initiatives like the Khelo India programme, noting how government investment has elevated the profile of sports like rowing in the country.

“The stature of rowing today is vastly different from what it was when I left the sport in 2018,” he added.

He also highlighted the recent rise of civilian rowers, which he finds particularly encouraging. “It’s great to see civilians now able to compete with – and even beat – Army rowers, who have traditionally dominated the sport in India,” he added.