India’s top swimming talent Virdhawal Khade, the 18-year-old from Maharashtra set the LNCPE Swimming Pool ablaze on the fourth day of the 63rd Senior National Aquatic Championship.
On Thursday evening, Virdhawal emerged fastest swimmer of the championship setting a new meet record in the 50m freestyle event. Khade toppled the eleven-year-old record of ace swimmer Sebastian Xavier, who was also present today. Dhawal, who holds the record, clocked 22:71. At the Asian Age Group in Tokyo on August 2009, Dhawal had clocked 22.58 seconds in 50m freestyle.
Sebastian Xavier later congratulated Dhawal soon after the race.
Apart from this, the fourth day witnessed five more record breaking performances including three national records.
In the 200m individual medley event, Rehan Poncha of Karnataka set a national record with the timing of 2:05.89 rewriting his own record of 2:08, 13. “It’s getting better after each performance. I am a little slow in breast stroke. today, I really worked hard and it came out better,” Poncha said.
M B Balakrishnan of Tamil Nadu came up with a stunning performance creating a new national record in the 50m back stroke event. Balakrishnan clocked 27:56 seconds smashing his own time of 27.58 set in 2008. Karnataka women team clinched gold setting a new national record in the 4x100m Medley relay. While, Karnataka men set a new meet record in the same event.
Richa Mishra of Police team rewrote his own record in the 200m individual medley. She clocked 27.56 seconds.
Shubha C of Karnataka emerged fastest women swimmer of the championship clinching gold in the 50m freestyle event. Overall, Karnataka continues to be on top spot with 237 points. Maharashtra in the second place with 125 point and Police stands third with 89 points.
Results: Men:
200M individual medley: 1.Rehan Poncha (Kar) 2:05.89. National record. Old: 2:06.29 (Rehan Poncha, 2009). NMR. Old: 2:08.13 (Rehan Poncha, 2008); 2. Sandeep Sejwal (Del) 2:12.34; 3.
Ashwin Menon (Kar) 2:13.19.
4X100 medley relay: 1. Karnataka (Rohit Havaldar, Gagan A P, Rehan Poncha, Aaron D’Souza) 4:00.55. NMR. Old: 4:04.85 (SSCB, 2007); 2. Police 4:02.24; 3. BMR; RSPB 4:07.11.
50M backstroke : 1. M B Balakrishnan (TN) 27.56 National record. Old: 27.58 (M B Balakrishnan, 2008). NMR. Old: 27.58 (M B Balakrishnan, 2008); 2. Rohit R Havaldar (Kar) 28.11; 3. Arjun Muralidharan (Pol) 28.12.
50M freestyle: 1. Virdhawal Khade (Mah) 22.71 NMR . Old: 22.89 (Sebastian Xavier, RSPB, 1998); 2. Aaron D’Souza (Kar) 23.65; 3.Arjun J P (RSPB) 24.71.
Women:
200M individual medley: 1. Richa Mishra (Pol) 2:25.00. NMR. Old: 2:25:17 (Richa Mishra, 2006); 2. Pooja R Avla (Kar) 2:28.96; 3. Tejaswini V (Kar) 2:33.67.
4X100M medley relay: 1. Karnataka (Kshipra Mahajan, Tejaswini V, Arhatha Magavi, Subha C) 4:39.62. National record. Old: 4:40.42 (Indian team, 2006). NMR. Old: 4:44.22 (Karnataka, 2006); 2. Mah 4:48.66; 3. Tamil Nadu 4:51.58.
50M backstroke: 1. Fariha Zaman (Ass) 31.67; 2.
Jyotsna Pansare (Mah) 31.90; 3. C Ayshwarya (TN) 32.59.
50M freestyle: 1. Shubha C (Kar) 27.67; 2. Sneha T (Kar) 27.75; 3. Talasha Prabhu (Goa) 27.86.
Waterpolo:
Men: Kerala: 7 bt Police: 2.
Women: Kerala: 13 bt Karnataka: 5; Maharashtra: 7 bt Police: 2; Delhi: 2 bt Manipur: 1.
Diving: Men: Spring board: 1. T Hari Prasad (RSPB) 303.65; 2. Ravi Kumar Singh (RSPB) 281.95; 3. Y Hemjith Meithei (Jhd) 275.95.