The third day of the 77th Senior National Aquatic Championships 2024 in Mangaluru was a day filled with thrilling performances and record-breaking swims. Tamil Nadu’s Nithik Nathella, Danush Suresh, B Benedicton Rohit, and Adhithya Dinesh etched their names in the history books by setting a new National Meet Record in the Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay, clocking an impressive 3:45.66. This stellar performance eclipsed the previous record of 3:47.22 set by the Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) back in 2022.
Karnataka’s quartet of Akash Mani, Vidith S Shankar, Kartikeyan Nair, and Srihari Nataraj also put up a remarkable display, breaking the previous record with a time of 3:46.09 but finishing in second place. The International Aquatic Complex in Yemmekere was buzzing with excitement as these swimmers battled it out for the top spot.
In the Men’s 1500m Freestyle, Karnataka’s Aneesh S Gowda showcased his dominance, pulling away from the competition as early as the second lap and claiming the gold medal with a time of 16:06.11. Meanwhile, Telangana’s Vritti Agarwal made a strong statement in the Women’s 800m Freestyle, taking the lead in the very first lap and maintaining her position to finish first with a time of 9:16.14.
The 200m Butterfly races witnessed intense competition. In the men’s event, Bikram Changmai from the Railway Sports Promotion Board and Dhanush S went head-to-head, trading the lead throughout the first round. However, Haryana’s Harsh Saroha entered the fray in the third lap, making a strong push for contention. Ultimately, it was Bikram Changmai who pulled away in the final lap to secure the win with a time of 2:02.76. Harsh Saroha finished in second place with a time of 2:03.95.
The women’s 200m Butterfly saw a three-way battle between Astha Choudhury, Hashika Ramachandra, and Vritti Agarwal from the first lap. Karnataka’s Hashika Ramachandra, with a burst of speed in the final moments, secured her third gold medal in the competition, finishing with a time of 2:21.16. Vritti Agarwal followed closely in second place with a time of 2:21.89.
Soubrity Mondal, the winner of the Women’s 50m Backstroke, expressed her elation after her performance, stating, “I just wanted to swim as fast as possible and record my personal best. It feels great to win. I have 200m backstroke coming up tomorrow and I want to get my personal best again, a medal is just a consequence.”
The championships continue to showcase the exceptional talent and dedication of India’s swimmers, making for an exciting spectacle of sporting prowess. The upcoming days promise more thrilling races and potentially more records being broken. Stay tuned for further updates.
