The Hindu : Sport : Two meet records bettered on opening day

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 14, 2005

Sport

Sport

Two meet records bettered on opening day

Stan Rayan

SURGING AHEAD: Rehan Poncha of Karnataka set a record in the men's 400m freestyle. — Photo: Mahesh Harilal

THRISSUR: Just a month ago, Rehan Poncha was a very disappointed boy. The Bangalore youngster had qualified for the Asian Indoor Games in Bangkok but with the Indian team being drastically cut at the last minute, Rehan could not make it.

On Tuesday, Rehan let a little of that disappointment and anger melt away after shattering his own 400m freestyle meet record in the 59th senior National swimming championship at the Aquatic Complex here.

It was not exactly an ideal evening for a record. For the 19-year-old had to wait for nearly one and half hours after warming up, with the opening ceremony coming in the way.

Close race

When the eight-lap event began, it turned out to be a close race between Rehan and the two Policemen, Amar Muralidharan and Mandar Divse.

``It reminded me of last year's race in Delhi, they were trying to break my rhythm early. So I wanted to gain the psychological edge by turning in first and I did,'' said the Mahavir Jain College student who had a great start.

Though Mandar gave a hot chase in the home stretch, Rehan powered his way to the meet record. He clocked 4:09.18 secs which was more than a second faster than his own meet mark.

However, he was a shade slower than his own Indian best (4:09.13) which came while winning the bronze at the Asian age-group meet in Bangkok in August.

Karnataka had a field day winning four of the six golds up for grabs on the opening evening.

All its gold winners came from Bangalore's Basavanagudi Aquatic Centre with C. Shubha jolting defending champion and National-record holder Richa Mishra (Police) in the women's 50m butterfly final, the day's last event.

It was Shubha's maiden senior National gold and it came after a memorable outing for she toppled Richa's three-year-old National record twice on Tuesday, in the heats and in the final.

The 16-year-old, the only daughter of former Karnataka cricketer Chitaranjan, was on a scorching pace from end to end and the off-colour Richa could only take a bronze.

Shubha's team-mates Pooja Alva and Jessica Bole also collected their maiden senior National golds.

Two records were set on the day, though a third was wobbling this morning with Southern Railway's K. Rajiv, a trainee of former National star Sebastian Xavier, equalling his own two-year-old meet mark in the 50m butterfly heats. He won the gold in a slower time in the evening.

The results (finals):

Men: 400m freestyle: 1. Rehan Poncha (Karn, 4:09.18s NMR; OR 4:10.95, own, 2004), 2. Mandar Divse (Pol, 4:11.25), 3. Rohit R. Hawaldar (Karn, 4:15.92).

50m butterfly: 1. K. Rajiv (Rly, 26.37s, equalled own meet record in heats), 2. Veerdhaval Khade (Mah, 26.43), 3. Parikshit Shetty (Mah, 26.45).

100m back stroke: 1. Arjun Muralidharan (Pol, 1:01.24s), 2. Sandeep (Karn, 1:01.99), 3. Akbar Ali Mir (Rly, 1:02.91).

Women: 400m freestyle: 1. Pooja Alva (Karn, 4:49.47s), 2. Kshipra (Karn, 4:50.77), 3. Awani Sawant (Pol, 4:51.47).

50m butterfly: 1. C. Shubha (Karn, 29.44 s, Indian best and meet record; OR 29.76, own, in morning's heats), 2. Lekha Kamat (Mah, 29.82), 3. Richa Mishra (Pol, 30.25).

100m breast stroke: 1. Jessica Bole (Karn, 1:22.11s), 2. Mini (Ker, 1:22.14), 3. Prerana (Karn, 1:23.40).

Waterpolo (first round matches): Men: Maharashtra bt Delhi 7-3, Karnataka bt Punjab 7-5, Kerala bt Manipur 8-4.

Women: Maharashtra bt Manipur 14-1, Bengal bt Karnataka 9-4.

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