The Hindu : Sport : Karnataka stays overall champion

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 19, 2005

Sport

Sport

Karnataka stays overall champion

Stan Rayan

— Photo: Mahesh Harilal

CHAMPIONS: Arjun Muralidharan of Police and Shikha Tandon of Karnataka, who won the individual titles.

THRISSUR: Thirteen years ago, when the Karnataka girls walked away with their maiden National team honours here, not many thought that the swimmers would be coming back in stronger waves, year after year.

Now, it's almost a flood.

At the 59th senior Nationals which concluded here on Sunday, Karnataka not only retained the overall championship and the women's crown as expected but also the men's team title.

"We're winning the men's title for the first time," said National coach Pradeep Kumar of Karnataka after the Southern giant ended the reign of the Police side.

Karnataka's triumph is a reward for its strong club scene and the hard work put in by men like Pradeep Kumar at the Basavangudi Aquatic Club and Nihar Ameen at the K.C. Reddy Swim Centre.

Shikha's hat-trick

Like last year, Police's Arjun Muralidharan and Karnataka's Shikha Tandon were adjudged the best swimmers in the men's and women's sections. For Shikha, who ended with a strong five-gold show, the crown completed a happy hat-trick.

While the race for the best women's swimmer title was a one-horse derby, two young and talented stars, Karnataka's Rehan Poncha and Arjun, were in the fray in the men's. And the 200m butterfly, which opened the proceedings at the Aquatic Complex on Sunday evening, turned out to be the battlefield and the tie-breaker.

Harvest time for Arjun

But Arjun, the defending champion and national record-holder, had come well prepared. He and his dad G. Muralidharan, who is also his coach, had been working on Arjun's start the last few months and it was a merry harvest time for him.

The quick start gave Arjun the opening edge. And while the BSF star grew in strength with each stroke and finally finished with a meet record along with the gold, Rehan had to stave off a strong challenge from his teammate Srinand Srinivas before taking the silver.

Arjun finished with four individual golds and a silver while Rehan had three yellows and two silvers. And like last year in New Delhi, just two points separated the two.

The results (finals):

Men: 100m freestyle: 1. Veerdhaval Khade (Mah, 53.69s), 2. Amar Muralidharan (Pol, 54.16), 3. Aniketh D'Souza (Kar, 54.95). 200m butterfly: 1. Arjun Muralidharan (Pol, 2:05.13s, NMR, OR own, 2:05.87, 2004), 2. Rehan Poncha (Kar, 2:07.24), 3. Srinand Srinivas (Kar, 2:08.01).

200m breaststroke: 1. Rohit Kumar (Pol, 2:29.05), 2. J.P. Arjun (Kar, 2:30.60), 3. B. Vinay (Pol, 2:31.60).

Women: 100m freestyle: 1. Shikha Tandon (Karn, 59.00), 2. C. Shubha (Kar, 1:01.66), 3. Lekha Kamat (Mah, 1:01.84). 200m butterfly: 1. Richa Mishra (Pol, 2:24.58), 2. Pooja R. Alva (Kar, 2:26.87), 3. Madhavi Giri (Kar, 2:30.59). 4x100m medley relay: 1. Karnataka (Shikha Tandon,

Prerana, Pooja Alva, C. Shubha, 4:47.42s), 2. Kerala (4:54.09), 3. Maharashtra (5:01.33).

Overall championship: Karnataka (360 pts).

Team championship: Men: Karnataka (155). Women: Karnataka (205). Best swimmers: Arjun Muralidharan (Police, men, 33 pts), Shikha Tandon (Karn, women, 35 pts).

Diving (1-metre springboard): Men: 1. Yogesh Watve (Ser, 297.20 pts), 2. Viraj Patil (Rlys, 270.95), 3. Harish V. Annaldas (Rlys, 253.70). Women: 1. Hrutika Shriram (Rlys, 166.20 pts), 2. Taniya Ganguli (Rlys, 158.70), 3. Karishma M. Mohite (Kar, 158.70).

Diving, team championship: Railways (men 36 pts, women 31). Best divers: Viraj Patil (Rlys, men, 19 pts); Taniya Ganguly (Rlys, women, 12).

Waterpolo (finals): Men: Services bt Rlys 8-6. Best player: Martin Joseph (Services). Women: Kerala drew with Police 2-2 (joint winners).

Best player: M. Mini (Kerala).

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