JOIN USWith three teams capable of staking a strong claim for the title, the 39th Junior National Aquatic Championships, which begins on Wednesday, could offer an exciting battle for supremacy at the Velachery Aquatic Complex here.
Defending champions Karnataka, runners-up Maharashtra and hosts Tamil Nadu have the quality to end up on top of the podium in the five-day meet.
History favours multiple champions Karnataka, who tallied 528 points (24 gold, 17 silver, 28 bronze), to beat back the challenge of Maharashtra, (468 points, 26 gold, 12 silver, 13 bronze) last year in Bhopal. But an improved Tamil Nadu, who put up a valiant effort but had to be satisfied with third place (19 gold, 22 silver and 13 bronze medals) in Bhopal, and Maharashtra have the potential to upset the holders.
Karnataka will have to thank long-distance swimmer Saura-bh Sangvekar, the best swimmer in Bhopal, for five gold medals that helped them to retain the crown. With Saurabh having graduated to the seniors category, the onus now lies on breaststroker Likith SP (boys’ Group II), backstroker Pranam B (boys’ Group I), freestyler Md Yaqoob Saleem (boys’ Group II), long-distance freestyle swimmer Ajay A (boys Group I), butterfly specialist Mithesh Kunte (boys’ Group I). In the girls’ section, freestylers Pratima Kollali and Sneha T (both Group I) and Damini K Gowda, who will be competing in the butterfly and backstroke events in Group II, carry Karnataka’s hopes.
Likith, who went under the national marks in the 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke events at the State championships last month, will be the favourite in his events. But Md Yaqoob Saleem and Ajay will have to find ways to counter Maharashtra’s Viraj Prabhu and Jason Smith. National Senior 50M breaststroke champion, AV Jayaveena (Group II), freestyler Anusha Mehta (Group I), butterflyer (Group I) would form a formidable force for the hosts.