Kushagra Rawat was the star for India with two golds on the opening day of the Asian Age Group swimming championship at the Padukone-Dravid Center for Sports Excellence here on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old, who has already achieved the B-mark Olympic Standard Time in 800m freestyle, set a new meet record by clocking 8:10.05s. But it was his performance in the 200m freestyle earlier in the evening, where he pipped Syrian opponent by three-hundredths of a second, that caught the eye. His timing of 1:52.30s was a new personal best, better by 0.6 seconds.
“I caught up in the last 75 metres,” said Rawat. “I saw the person next to me and pushed. I believed I had so much left in me so I just went all out. I wanted to go 1:50-1:51 but happy with 1.52. It was the first [individual] gold for India and I’m really happy.”
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Elsewhere, Srihari Nataraj and Maana Patel claimed golds in the men’s and women’s 50m backstroke events. While Srihari came home in 25.30s, Maana finished in 29.92.
Relay team, Shaon win
India’s other two gold medals on the day came in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay (Srihari, Anand Anilkumar, Sajan Prakash and Virdhawal Khade) and through Shoan Ganguly in the Group II boys’ 200m individual medley.
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The hosts also had six silver and six bronze to take its first day tally to a creditable 18.
The results (Indians unless specifed):
Open category: Men: Freestyle: 200m: 1. Kushagra Rawat 1:52.30s, 2. Abbas Omar (Syr) 1:52.33; 3. Anand Anilkumar 1:54.19; 800m: 1. Kushagra Rawat 8:10.05 (NMR; OR: Lam Quang Naht, 8:13.13, 2017), 2. Chang Cheng Li Wei (Tpe) 8:20.14, 3. Abbas Omar (Syr) 8:31.64; Backstroke: 50m: 1. Srihari Nataraj 25.30, 2. Atayev Merdan (Tuk) 26.30, 3. Chograthin Kasipat (Tha) 26.36; Breaststroke: 100m: 1. Vladislav Mustafin (Uzb) 1:01.41, 2. Denis Petrashov (Kyr) 1:01.88, 3. S.P. Likith 1:02.19; 200m IM: 1. Ketin Nuttapong (Tha) 2:06.29, 2. Sajan Prakash 2:07.24, 3. Sukkieo Phuwadon (Tha) 2:08.21; 4x100m freestyle: 1. India 3:23.72, 2. Iran 3:28.46, 3. Uzbekistan 3:30.59.
Women: Freestyle: 200m: 1. Junkrajang Natthanan (Tha) 2:02.89, 2. Shivani Kataria 2:05.75, 3. Yamsuan Fonpray 2:05.80; 800m: 1. Junkrajang Natthanan (Tha) 9:14.25, 2. Teeka Katawan (Tha) 9:23.69, 3. Shivani Kataria 9:27.62; Backstroke: 50m: 1. Maana Patel 29.92, 2. Boonamphai Saovanee (Tha) 30.29, 3. Nimdam Kanitta (Tha) 30.39; Breaststroke: 100m: 1. Vu Thi Phuong Anh (Vie) 1:11.84, 2. Boonamphai Saovanee (Tha) 1:12.45, 3. Srisa Ard Jenjira (Tha) 1:12.49; 200m IM: 1. Pawapotako Phiangkhwan (Tha) 2:21.41, 2. Wong Ching Lam Athena (HKG) 2:22.42, 3. Nimadam Kanitta (Tha) 2:23.96; 4x100m freestyle: 1. Thailand 3:54.29, 2. India 4:00.76, 3. Hong Kong 4:08.64.
Other Indian medallists (number denotes position): Group I: Boys: 4x100m freestyle: 3. 3:33:52; Girls: 50m backstroke: 3. Suvana Basker 30.32.
Group II: Boys: 4x100m freestyle: 2. 3:41:49; 200m freestyle: 2. Shoan Ganguly 1:55.18; 50m backstroke: 2. Sahil Laskar 28.11; 200m IM: 1. Shoan Ganguly 2:11.18; Girls: 50m backstroke: 3. Ridhima Kumar 30.64 .