Cash bonanza for swimmers

For the first time, best swimmers in the boys and girls sections (Group I) will get a Bajaj Platina and TVS Scooty respectively. The gold medal winners will receive Rs 5,000 while the silver and bronze medal winners will pocket Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000 respectively. For those who break the meet or national record will get Rs 5,000.

Talasha Prabhu of Goa and Sneha T of Karnataka were the first to take home that cash prize, minutes after the official announcement.

The first three place finishers in the boys and girls water polo events will be richer by Rs 51m000, Rs 21,000 and Rs 11,000 respectively.

The cash prizes and awards are sponsored by Ganesh Mandir Mothi Dungri Trust and UCO Bank.

The luckiest of the swimmers on the opening day was Srishti Tandon of Rajasthan. The 17-year-old 12th standard student of St Xavier School took home a purse of Rs 2 lakh and three thousand rupees. Ganesh Mandir and Jaipur Maha Nigam announced a cash award of Rs 1 lakh each, apart from Rs 3,000 she earned for the silver medal in the 200M free for Group I.