Asian Games bronze medallist Sandeep Sejwal made a cameo appearance and left his imprint on the Games with a new record on the second day of the swimming events in the 35th National Games at the Mihir Sen Plaza, Pirappancode, here on Monday.
Kerala’s golden boy Sajan Prakash continued his fantastic run as he swam to his third gold medal by winning the gruelling 1500m freestyle race with a new games record.
On Monday, five new games record were set.
Hruthika Shriram of Maharashtra set a new mark in the women’s high board diving with 230.65 points.
In the 200m breaststroke, Sandeep Sejwal was hardly stretched in what was a routine win for the Asian Games medallist. The Delhi lad, representing Madhya Pradesh, got off to a flyer and built a sizeable lead. With no one pushing him, Sandeep went on to set a new mark, clocking 2:13.53s.
Sandeep, in the process, improved upon his own meet record (2:17.33), set in 2011.
However, there was something to cheer for the partisan home crowd which was behind Anoop Augstine and S. Arun, who won the silver and bronze medals respectively.
Kerala struck it rich in the first final of the day when Sajan erased the old record in the men’s 1500m freestyle event. Sajan warded off the initial threat from arch-rival Saurabh Sangvekar (Maharashtra) and turned what it looked like a tough fight into one-sided one.
From the start, it was a two-horse race with Sajan trailing Saurabh in the first 600m metres. But once Sajan took the lead, there was no looking back as the Kerala swimmer went on to build an impressive lead and finished at least 20 metres ahead of Saurabh. Sajan clocked 15:58.78s to break A.P. Gagan’s 16:15.18, set in 2011. Saurabh also bettered the existing record. However, Sajan was way off his National record of 15:45.53 set during the Kolkata Nationals in November last year.
Aakanksha Vora caused an upset when she beat accomplished stars like Monique Gandhi and V. Malavika to win the women’s 800m freestyle in a new games record of 9:15.30s. Vora broke Richa Mishra’s old mark (9:24.45), set in 2011.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh added another gold to its kitty by winning the 4x100m medley relay with a new games record.
MP trailed Services after the first leg but Sandeep Sejwal turned things around with his blistering pace and then Aaron took over in the butterfly-leg to make it a no contest clocking 3:48.56s. The old record (4:02.21) was set by Karnataka in 2011. Kerala, anchored by Sajan, finished a creditable second in 3:53.22s. Reigning champion Karnataka finished third.
The results: Men: 1500m freestyle: 1. Sajan Prakash (Ker) (15:55.78 - NGR; OR: 16:15.16, A.P. Gagan, 2011), 2. Saurabh Sangvekar (Mah) (16:07.12), 3. A.S.Anand (Ker) (16:30.72).
200m breaststroke: 1. Sandeep Sejwal (MP) (2:13.53- NGR; OR: 2:17.53, Sandeep Sejwal, 2011), 2. Anoop Augustin (Ker) (2:18.71), 3. S. Arun (Ker) (2:17.73).
4x100m medley relay: 1. Madhya Pradesh (3:48.56 - NGR; OR: 4:02.21, Karnataka, 2011), 2. Kerala (3:53.22), 3. Karnataka (3:58.36).
Women: 800m freestyle: 1. Aakanksha Vora (Mah) (9:15.30- NGR; OR: 9:24.45, Richa Mishra, 2011), 2. V. Malavika (Kar) (9:23.95), 3. Monique Gandhi (Mah) (9:29.93).
200m breaststroke: 1. Kalyani Saxena (Guj) (2:47.22), 2. Rutuja Udeshi (Mah) (2:47.47), 3. Saloni Dallal (Kar) (2:47.49).
4x100m medley relay: 1. Maharashtra (4:32.38 -NGR; OR: 4:42.73, Karnataka, 2011), 2. Karnataka (4:33.58), 3. Tamil Nadu (4:40.47).
Diving: High board: 1. Hrutika Shriram (Mah) (230.65 -NGR; OR: 225.40, Yogita Walunj, 2007), 2. Deepti Panwar (Mah) (221.75), 3. Tanuka Dhara (Ben) (181.65).
