The Hindu : Sport : Arjun, Richa are the best

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Tuesday, Sep 26, 2006
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Arjun, Richa are the best

Kalyan Ashok

Four records set on final day

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL: Richa Mishra, who won the women's 100m butterfly event in Bangalore on Monday. — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

BANGALORE: Arjun Muralidharan finished with five record-breaking gold medals in all his five to walk away with the `Best Swimmer' award in the men's section of the LIC 60th senior National aquatics championship, which concluded here on Monday. Arjun's Police teammate Richa Misra added three more golds to the two she had won earlier on the final day and emerged as the `Best Swimmer' in the women's section.

The final day's eight-event card saw four records being created including three Indian best performances. Rehan Poncha of Karnataka set the ball rolling cracking the 200m individual medley's meet mark of 2:12.29s set by Akbar Ali Mir of Railways with a sizzling 2:10.88s.

Veerdhawal Khade of Maharashtra then lowered his Indian best mark in the 100m freestyle (52.71s) set in the Asian age group championship last year, with a blistering 52.20s. Khade, who took his fourth successive gold of the meet, also bettered the meet mark of 53.51s set by T.A. Sujhith in 2003.

Arjun Muralidharan ended his campaign with a stunning effort in the 100m butterfly, clocking 56.54s after warding off an early challenge from Khade. Arjun thus bettered his own meet mark of 56.98s set in 2004 and also his personal best of 56.67s clocked in the SAF Games last month.

Richa began with a bang outclassing a young field in the 200m individual medley at 2:25.17s. Her effort eclipsed the Indian best of 2:28.22s by Shikha Tandon in 2002 and also the meet mark of 2:28.67s set by V. Sivaranjini of Karnataka in 2003. Richa then took the 100m freestyle (1:00.40s) and 100m butterfly (1:04.97s) golds.

The results: Swimming: Men: 200m individual medley: 1. Rehan Poncha (Kar, 2:10.88s. Best Indian performance, Old: 2:11.22s, Rehan, SAF Games 2006. Old National record: 2:12.29, Akbar Ali Mir, Railways, 2003), 2. Kapil Nalang (Mah, 2:15.78s), 3. V. Abhishek (Kar, 2:16.09).

100m freestyle: 1. Veerdhaval Khade (Mah, 52.20s. Best Indian performance, Old: 52.71, Khade, 2005. Old National record: 53.51, T.A. Sujith, Services, 2003), 2. N.A. Sandeep (Kar, 54.12s), 3. Amar Muralidharan (Police, 54.17s).

100m butterfly: 1. Arjun Muralidharan (Police, 56.54s, NR, Old: 56.67s set SAF 2006, NMR, Old: 56.98s, 2004), 2. Veerdhawal Khade (Mah, 57.76s), 3. Ratheesh (SSCB, 59.22s).

4x100m freestyle relay: 1. Karnataka (Aniketh D'Souza, Rehan Poncha, Rohit Havaldar, Sandeep, 3:41.65s), 2. Services, 3:45.37s, 3. Railways, 3:49.23s.

Women: 200m individual medley: 1. Richa Mishra (Police, 2:25.17s. Best Indian performance, Old: 2:28.22s, Shikha Tandon (Kar) 2002. Old National record: 2:28.67, V. Sivaranjani, Kar, 2003), 2. V. Tejasvini (Kar, 2:29.11s), 3. Madhavi Giri (Kar, 2:34.69s).

100m freestyle: 1. Richa Mishra (Police, 1:00.40s), 2. C. Shubha (MP, 1:01.16s), 3. Arpana Magdum (Mah, 1:01.51s).

100m butterfly: 1. Richa Mishra (Police, 1:04.97s), 2. C. Shubha (MP, 1:06.44s), 3. Lekha Kamat (Mah, 1:06.73s).

4x100m freestyle relay: 1. Karnataka (Kshipra Mahajan, V. Tejasvini, B. Neeraja, Pooja Alva, 4:14.54s), 2. Maharashtra, 4:22.02s. 3. Kerala, 4:26.43s.

Waterpolo: Men: Final: Railways 9 (S. Dutta 4, S. Goswami 2) bt Services 8 (S. Kumar 4, S. Das 2). Third place: Police 11 (N. Gopakumar 5, S. Gopakumar 3, Kamal Kumar 2) bt Bengal 7 (S. Jaiswal 3, D. Mulik 2).

Women: Final: Kerala 6 (K. Soumya 2, T. K. Prajitha 2) bt Maharashtra 4 (D. Motghare 3). Third place: Police 10 (Rujuta 3, Shubhangini 3) bt Karnataka 4 (Varshini 2).

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