The 77th Senior National Aquatic Championships, held at the International Aquatic Complex in Yemmekere, Mangaluru, saw a flurry of exciting performances, with Karnataka swimmers making their mark. Hashika Ramachandra, representing Karnataka, etched her name in the record books by shattering the 13-year-old National Record in the Women’s 400m Freestyle event. She clocked an impressive time of 4:24.70, surpassing the previous record held by Richa Mishra (4:25.76) from Ranchi.
In the Men’s 400m Freestyle, Karnataka’s Aneesh S Gowda emerged victorious with a time of 3:56.59, leaving Dharshan S in second place with 4:01.39. The Men’s 200m Breaststroke saw Dhanush Suresh from Tamil Nadu take the top spot with a timing of 2:18.85, narrowly edging out Karnataka’s Manikanta L who clocked 2:20.66.
Karnataka’s dominance continued in the Women’s 200m Breaststroke, with Thanya Shadakshari securing the win with a time of 2:40.54. Maharashtra’s Jyoti Bajirao Pati finished second with a time of 2:42.01.
The Karnataka women’s team, comprising Shirin, Shalini R Dixit, Naisha, and Hashika Ramachandra, displayed incredible teamwork in the Women’s 4 x 200m Freestyle relay, taking home the gold with a time of 8:54.85. Their male counterparts, Aneesh S Gowda, Dharshan S, Kartikeyan Nair, and Dhakshan S, also secured victory in the Men’s 4 x 200m Freestyle relay with a time of 7:42.90.
The National Aquatic Championships continue to be a platform for showcasing exceptional swimming talent, with Karnataka emerging as a force to be reckoned with. As the competition progresses, we can expect more thrilling performances and potential record-breaking feats.
