Gold rush for Shrungi, Pavan emerges fastest

Shrungi Rajesh Bandekar, like many budding swimmers in the country, left home to make Bengaluru home in pursuit of a career in the sport.

A faint smile on the 19-year-old from Goa after clinching four gold medals at the Nettakallappa All-India Swimming Championship, perhaps, was a sign of self-assurance about a decision made right while also reminding herself about the tough journey that lies ahead.

Shrungi, who trains at Ray Centre under coach Bhushan topped the podium in the women’s 100m breaststroke and 100m freestyle on Sunday at the Nettakallappa Aquatic Centre here. She had also finished first in the 200m individual medley and 100m backstroke on Saturday.

“I had to make the decision of leaving home in Mapusa about a year and a half ago for better coaches and facilities,” said Shrungi who represented Jain University at the two-day event.

“I won a bronze at the National Games recently and a silver at the senior nationals in Guwahati. The four golds here have given me confidence going forward. But the fight is getting tougher and tougher,” said the second year B.Com student.

Another swimmer, who outshone her competitors, was Lineysha AK of Global Swim Centre by adding two more golds and a silver to the one gold she took home the previous day. Lineysha emerged on top in the women’s open 50m breaststroke SKINS race before claiming gold in the group I girls 100m breaststroke event. She won silver in the 100m freestyle race behind Shalini R Dixit of Dolphin Aquatics.

In the boys group I section, NAC’s Nayan Vignesh brought cheer for the hosts by winning in the 100m breaststroke race for his second gold along with the two silvers already in his kitty.

However, Siva S of Basavanagudi Aquatic Centre, the star of day 1, who returned to the pool to challenge the fastest swimmer in India currently - Pavan Gupta - had to be content with a silver in the men’s open 50m freestyle SKINS competition.

In the battle of the final three, Pavan was off the blocks the quickest which he maintained during the turn and back in the 25m pool. The SDAT Dolphin swimmer touched the pad first with Siva finishing a close second while Pratham Sharma of Dolphin Aquatics was third.

Results: Men: Open 50m BR SKINS: 1. S Danush (Aces); 2. Lohith M (Dolphin Aquatics); 3. Suneesh S (GSC).

Open 50m FS SKINS: 1. Pavan Gupta (SDAT Dolphin); 2. Siva S (BAC); 3. Pratham Sharma (Dolphin Aquatics)

100m BR: 1. S Danush (Aces) 1:06.14; 2. Lohith M (Dolphin Aquatics) 1:07.21; 3. Suneesh S (GSC) 1:08.18.

400m FS: 1. Dhyan Balakrishna (BAC) 4:23.79; 2. Mitesh Kunte (NAC) 4:25.94; 3. Manoj Nayaka B (BAC) 4:26.29.

100m FS: 1. Pavan Gupta (SDAT Dolphin) 54.49s; 2. Vasuram M (GSC) 54.80s; 3. Manoj Nayaka B (BAC) 56.77s.

Boys: Group I: 100m BR: 1. Nayan Vignesh (NAC) 1:09.02; 2. Surya Jhoyappa OR (BAC) 1:09.49; 3. Suyog Gowda L (NAC) 1:12.00.

100m FS: 1. Shivank Vishwanath (Ray Centre) 55.98s; 2. Rishabh Singh Dhadwal (Dolphin Aquatics) 56.09s; 3. R Akshaya Shet (GSC) 57.60s.

Group II: 200m IM: 1. R Navaneeth Gowda (Dolphin Aquatics) 2:23.65; 2. Raghav Swachandam (NAC) 2:25.19; 3. Dharshan S (BAC) 2:25.71.

100m BR: 1. R Navaneeth Gowda (Dolphin Aquatics) 1:15.47; 2. J Ganesh Chakradhar (Dolphin Aquatics) 1:15.92; 3. R Dharshan (Aces) 1:16.19.

200m FS: 1. S Dhakshan (BAC) 2:06.58; 2. Dharshan S (BAC) 2:07.28; 3. Kushal K (BAC) 2:08.80.

100m FS: 1. Kushal K (BAC) 59.08s; 2. R Navaneeth Gowda (Dolphin Aquatics) 59.29s; 3. Dharshan S (BAC) 59.72s.

Women: Open 50m BR SKINS: 1. Lineysha AK (GSC); ES Samanvi (BAC); 3. Zaara Jabbar (Dolphin Aquatics).

Open 50m FS SKINS: 1. Shalini R Dixit (Dolphin Aquatics); 2. Rujula S (Dolphin Aquatics); 3. Ashmitha Chandra (Deccan International School).

100m BR: 1. Shrungi Rajesh Bandekar (Jain University) 1:22.06; 2. Anumati Chougule (Jain University) 1:25.83; 3. Zara Williams (Dolphin Aquatics) 1:26.26.

400m FS: 1. Adya Nayak (Ray Centre) 4:55.14; 2. Anumati Chougule (Jain University) 4:58.38; 3. Kshitija K (BAC) 5:21.96.

100m FS: 1. Shrungi Rajesh Bandekar (Jain University) 1:02.49; 2. Adya Nayak (Ray Centre) 1:04.66; 3. Zara Williams (Dolphin Aquatics) 1:08.53.

Girls: Group I: Group I: 100m BR: 1. Lineysha AK (GSC) 1:19.51; 2. Zaara Jabbar (Dolphin Aquatics) 1:22.28; 3. Meghanjali (GSC) 1:23.59.

100m FS: 1. Shalini R Dixit (Dolphin Aquatics) 1:01.39; 2. Lineysha AK (GSC) 1:02.82; 3. Aarushi Agrawal (Dolphin Aquatics) 1:03.48.

Group II: 200m IM: 1. Naisha (BAC) 2:37.60; 2. Dayanitha S (Ray Centre) 2:39.61; 3. Sri Charani Tumu (GSC) 2:42.15.

100m BR: 1. Mihika Dutta (Dolphin Aquatics) 1:21.90; 2. ES Samanvi (BAC) 1:22.65; 3. Sri Charani Tumu (GSC) 1:23.76.

200m FS: 1. Sri Charani Tumu (GSC) 2:17.62; 2. Naisha (BAC) 2:18.01; 3. Rujula S (Dolphin Aquatics) 2:19.43.

100m FS: 1. Rujula S (Dolphin Aquatics) 1:03.41; 2. Naisha (BAC) 1:03.82; 3. Aarna MP (BAC) 1:04.11.