Priyanka Priyadarshini posted the best time by an Indian (34.29s) in women’s 50m breastroke in day two action at the 66th Enerzal senior National aquatics here on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, fellow competitor Poorva Shetye was scratched from the competition for skipping the final after swimming in the heats won by the former.
Established names had their way in other events — Sandeep Sejwal (50m breakstroke), Veerdhawal Khade (50m butterfly and 200m freestyle) and Richa Mishra (400 individual medley) were a class apart.
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Poorva admitted her mistake in skipping the breastroke final, since as per the original schedule the 400m individual medley and breastroke were back-to-back and she had the withdrawal option prior to the heats.
Priyanka, swimming in lane four, sliced the waters to an India best time in the heats as she improved upon her own time of 34.68s set earlier this year. The Delhi-based girl won the final in a slower 34:38 but was happy to have made coach Nihar Ameen proud.
She trains in Bangalore and credits the coach for helping overcome weakness due to typhoid and doubts in her mind on competition fitness.
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Priyanka is looking at a slot for the Asian aquatics championships in Dubai this November after her personal and national best in the heats. Her final time bettered the meet record of 35.48 credited to A. Jayaveena.
Sejwal of Railways attained the 2013 World championships ‘B’ grade qualifying time (28.98s) in the 50m breastroke en route to victory in 28:96 at the Balewadi pool. He holds the meet mark of 28.35s.
The results (finals): Men: 50m butterfly: 1. Veerdhawal Khade (Mah) 24.84s, 2. Sarma Nair (RSPB) 25.61s, 3. Sajan Prakash (RSPB) 25.69s. 400m IM: 1. Gagan (Kar) 4:36.45s, 2. Vishnu (SSCB) 4:45.21s, 3. Arvind (Kar) 4:45.33s. 50m breastroke: 1. Sandeep Sejwal (RSPB) 28.96s, 2. Arjun (RSPB) 29.99s, 3. Puneet Rana (Pol) 30:09s. 200m freestyle: 1. Veerdhawal 1:52.10, 2. Aaron D’Souza (Kar) 1:52.53, 3. Saurabh Sangvekar (Kar) 1:54.40.
Women: 800m freestyle: 1. Richa Mishra (Pol) 9:12.06, 2. Surabhi Tipre (Kar) 9:12.95, 3. Aakansha Vora (Mah) 9:40:61. 400m IM: 1. Richa 5:04.79; 2. Aakansha 5:18.48, 3. Pooja Alva (Kar) 5:20.64. 50m breastroke: 1. Priyanka Priyadarshini 34.38 (NMR), 2. A.V. Jayaveena (TN) 35.53, 3. Monique Gandhi (Mah) 36.17 (Meet mark 35.48). 200m freestyle: 1. Surabhi 2:07.94, 2. Aditi Dhumatkar (Mah) 2:10:14, 3. Arti Ghorpade (Mah) 2:10.17. 4x100m medley: 1. Maharashtra (Jyotsna Pansare, Aditi, Monique, Arti) 4:34:59 (NMR), 2. Karnataka (Damini Gowda, Pooja, Charu Hamsini, Surabhi) 4:42.60, 3. Tamil Nadu (Sherlyn Meghna, V. Meenakshi, Jayaveena, Anusha Mehta) 4:46.52 (Meet mark 4:36.37).
Water polo (league): Men: Kerala bt Delhi 9-0, Bengal bt Manipur 10-0, Punjab bt Karnataka 4-0, Maharashtra bt Police 8-5.
Women: Bengal bt Delhi 13-0, Manipur bt Maharashtra 16-0, Karnataka bt Police 4-1.