Srihari sinks National 50m backstroke record

Khade and Richa stamp their superiority; Karnataka quartet makes a mark

In the spotlight: Karnataka’s Srihari Natraj, flanked by P.S. Madhu, left, and Arvind Mani, swam to a new meet record in the 50m backstroke event on Sunday.

Rising star Srihari Natraj lived up to the expectations in style by setting a National record in the men’s 50m backstroke while the seasoned duo of Veerdhawal Khade and Richa Mishra showed time had not diminished their zeal to seal the gold in the National swimming championship here on Sunday.

Once the focus shifted to relays under lights, Karnataka’s 4x100 medley quartet of Suvana C. Baskar, Saloni Dalal, Damini Gowda and V. Malvika set a meet record in 4:31.70 to erase Maharashtra’s 4:34.50 set in 2013.

Srihari, the hero of junior National aquatics this summer, outpaced defending champion P.S. Madhu who had set the record of 26.73 last year. Srihari clocked 26.58 and left the Services’ duo of Madhu and Arvind Mani to settle for lesser medals.

Though favourite Saloni Dalal was pipped at the post by Maharasthra’s Jyoti Patil in 200m breastroke final, three other National record holders had it easy.

Khade regained the title of being the ‘fastest swimmer of the meet’, Richa won back the medley ‘double’ and Sajan Prakash expectedly won the 1500m title.

Final results:

Men:50m freestyle: Veerdhawal Khade (Mah, 23,18), 2. Anshul Kothari (Guj, 23.30), 3. Aaron D’Souza (Rlys, 23.60); 1500m freestyle: 1. Sajan Prakash (Ker, 15:59.02), 2. Advait Page (MP, 16:14.22), 3. Saurabh Sangvekar (Rlys, 16:18.75); 50m backstroke: 1. Srihari Natraj (Kar, 26.58, NMR, old 26.73); 2. P.S. Madhu (Ser, 26.80), 3. Arvind Mani (Ser, 27.05); 200m breaststroke: 1. S. Danush (TN, 2:19.75), 2. Anoop Augustine (Rlys, 2:20.43), 3. S. Arun (Ser, 2:21, 33); 4x100m medley relay: 1. Railways (3:51.47), 2. Services (3:55.14), 3. Karnataka (3:56.30).

Women: 50m backstroke: 1. Nivya Raja (TN, 30.99), 2. Suvana C. Baskar (Kar, 31.82), 3. Jyotsana Pansare (Mah, 31.91); 200m breaststroke: 1. Jyoti Patil (Mah, 2:44.76), 2. Saloni Dalal (Kar, 2:45.16), 3. Kalyani Saxena (Guj, 2:45.63); 400m individual medley: 1. Richa Mishra (Pol, 5:13.22), Sayani Ghosh (Ben, 5:15.61), 3. V.K.R. Meenakshi (TN, 5:23.14); 4x100m medley relay: Karnataka (4:31.70, NMR, old 4:34.50), 2. Maharashtra (4:35.16), 3. Tamil Nadu (4:41.73) .