Karnataka set to call shots

Poncha the cynosure as defending champs look for another title

Come Wednesday, the reigning champions, seeking to extend their phenomenal run, will kick off their campaign once agains as hot favourites when the 65th Senior National aquatic championships begin here at the Veer Budhu Bhagat Aquatic Stadium.

From Thiruvananthapuram to Jaipur and from Goa to Kolkata, the State swimmers have left their inedible mark for the last 18 summers since 1993. And in the last edition in Jaipur, they took the title with 264 points, a narrow 28 points ahead of arch-rivals Maharashtra. The championship in the Pink City wasn’t that easy at all as the swimmers had to battle wet weather and a pool with filthy rain water caused due to lack of proper drainage system.

Karnataka also had to cope with Rehan Poncha, who completed a hat-trick of best swimmer award two years back in Thiruvananthapuram, opting to swim only two events as the 25-year-old Olympian flew to Delhi to receive the Arjuna Award from President Pratibha Patil.

“I am keen to make it big this time,” said Poncha, who has competed in every Nationals since 1999.

Karnataka’s arch-rivals Maharashtra, though not as strong as in the previous years, are still a formidable force to reckon with. The absence of Olympian Virdhawal Khade, who pulled out to focus on his training programme for the London Games where he will swim in the 100M freestyle, will be the major blow to Maharashtreans, who were further weakened by the exodus of Saurabh Sangvekar and Surabhi Tipre, the duo shifting its loyalty to Karnataka.

“Considering the quality of swimmers in our squad, we should be able to retain the title,” said Karnataka coach Nihar Ameen on the eve of the championship. Apart from Poncha, who will take the pool in the 200M and 400M individual medley, 200M backstroke, 200M butterfly, Aaron D’Souza (100 and 200 free, 100 and 200 fly), backstroker Rohit R Havaldar and long distance freestyle swimmers Gagan AP and Sangvekar hold the key to State’s chances.

If the women swimmers, long-distance swimmer Surabhi, backstroker Fariha Zaman and Pooja R Alva, join the party then Karnataka have a bright chance of retaining the crown.
The holders, however, can surely expect tough competitions from Olympian breaststroker Sandeep Sejwal from Railways, Delhiite Richa Mishra – the winners of best swimmer awards in the men’s and women’s sections last year in Jaipur — and Maharashtra’s Poorva Shetye. Sejwal, who has already qualified for the London meet in the 100 and 200 events, is a clear favourite to take home the title in his events.

The battle for supremacy between two seasoned campaigners Gagan, who might lose out a race or two due to his degree exams, and Mandar A Divase along with promising youngster Sangvekar in the 400, 800 and 1500 freestyle events could be a treat to watch.

In water polo, the Karnataka women’s team will have to overcome Police, Kerala and Maharashtra, all tough outfits, to better their silver-medal effort in the last edition while the State men will have their task cut out against Railways, Services and Police before hoping for a medal.

In diving, Karnataka’s medal prospects rest with Karishma Mohite and Nammi Divya Theja.