Natraj, Firdoush, Annie dominate swimming competitions at Khelo India

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Karnataka’s National Record Holder Srihari Natraj won two more Gold medals (50m backstroke & 100m freestyle) to take his final tally from the pool to six gold and one silver as the swimming competition of inaugural Khelo India School Games came to an end on February 4, 2018.

While Srihari Natraj dominated the Boys section, Firdoush Kayamkhani of Delhi won four gold in the Girls section at Dr Shyama Prasad Indoor Swimming Pool Stadium. Srihari’s tussle against Neel Roy of Maharashtra in the 100m freestyle was a delight but the former pulled away at the end to win by 0.29 seconds, clocking 53.07 seconds. On the final day, he also won the 50m backstroke.

Goa’s Xavier Michael D’Souza (27.80s) took the silver while Tanmay Das (Delhi) and Soumyajit Saha (West Bengal) were in a dead-heat in 28.62 and both were awarded bronze medals.

In the girls’ section, Annie Jain of Delhi won the 100m freestyle in 1:01.49s and also the 50m breaststroke in 35.49s to take her week’s tally to four gold.

Firdoush’s win in 200m butterfly also gave her four gold medals, the same as Annie, while Suvana Bhaskar won the 50m backstroke for her third gold medal. She also had two silver medals in the competition besides two more in relays, according to a PIB release.

Madhya Pradesh’s Param Padam Birthare in Boys 200m butterfly and Manipur’s MaibamMangalsana in 50m breaststroke were the only ones to break Karnataka and Delhi’s stranglehold on the final day.