Maharashtra retains team championship

By Our Sports Reporter

MADGAON, JULY 4. The final ripples belonged to Maharashtra. The State retained it's team championships in swimming and diving while a heavy downpour rung down a wet curtain on the 18th sub- junior National aquatics meet at the Fatorda swimming pool here on Wednesday.

Karnataka settled for the runner-up tag and bolstered it's spirits when V. Sivaranjani bagged the championship's `best swimmer' award. Sivaranjani, with two new National records and five golds in her kitty, had left her stamp on the championship. ``Feels great to get this award,'' she said, while balancing her trophies.

Maharashtra with 295 points was clear winner, while Karnataka's bridesmaid's role came with 199 points. In diving, Maharashtra jumped ahead with 172 points and retained it's sub- junior title won in the last edition at Bareilly. ``We are happy with the results. Perhaps we could have done better in the girls' Group IV events. But overall the results matched our hard training,'' said Maharashtra coach N. Suresh Kumar.

The sub-junior championship's last day was replete with twists while V. Sivaranjani and Kapil Nilang hung loose after having earlier bagged five golds apiece. Sushma Maiti, N.A. Sandeep, Deepthi Venkatesh and Rujuta Gadgil bagged their maiden golds in the meet while shattering a few dreams.

In the boys' Group III 100m backstroke event, Bengal's Sushmya Maiti (1:13.42s) brushed aside Gautam Gopal and Raghav Rai Verma. The upset spree peaked when Karnataka's N.A. Sandeep (35.55s) toppled Aditya Sangwekar and Manjyoti Rabha in the Group IV 50m backstroke.

As if on cue, the girls did an encore in reiterating the dark horse factor. Mumbai lass Deepti Venkatesh left Amrapali Das Gupta and M.S. Niveditha in despair with a 1:06.07s timing in the Group III 100m freestyle, while Maharashtra's Rujuta Gadgil sneaked past Karnataka's Kshipra in the Group IV 100m freestyle. Rujuta clocked 1:11.06s to Kshipra's 1:11.10s.

Amidst changing result sheets, Manjyoti Rabha and Komal Athare retained some of their champions' gloss. Manjyoti Rabha won the boys' Group IV 100m freestyle to swell his gold medal tally to three, while Komal Athare bagged her second gold by topping Group III 100m backstroke.

The special awardees are: Swimming: Boys' Group III: Kapil Nalang (Mah, 609pts); Group IV: Manjyoti Rabha (Asm, 526); Girls' Group III: V. Sivaranjani (Kar, 806); Group IV: Mahalakshmi (Kar, 590). T.G. Sendhil Memorial awards: V. Sivaranjani and Kapil Nalang.

Diving: Boys' Group I: R.S. Anil (SSCB); Group II: Rahul Kutre (Kar); Group III: Rohan Sambrani (Mah); Group IV: Jaideep Amre (Goa); Girls' Group I: Vidita Powle (Mah); Group II: Yogita Walunj (Mah); Group III: Sayoli V. Raikar (Goa); Group IV: Afra Sheikh (Goa).

The Chief Minister of Goa, Mr. Manohar Parikar, presided over the awards ceremony. The 28th junior aquatics championship will commence at the same venue on Friday. The meet will conclude on July 10.

The results:

Swimming: Boys: Group III: 100m backstroke: 1. Sushma Maiti (Ben - T: 1:14.42s); 2. Raghavan Verma (Del - 1:15.03); 3. Gautam Gopal (UP - 1:16.38). 100m freestyle: 1. Dhruv Rawat (Mah - 1:03.47); 2. Roshan Nichani (Mah - 1:04.82); 3. Karan Kapadia (Guj - 1:05.81).

Group IV: 50m backstroke: 1. N.A. Sandeep (Kar - 35.55); 2. Aditya Sangwekar (Mah - 36.04); 3. Manjyoti Rabha (Asm - 37.06). 100m freestyle: 1. Manjyothi Rabha (Asm - 1:06.30); 2. Veerdhaval Khade (Mah - 1:08.25); 3. Prabir Dutta (Ben - 1:08.95).

Girls: Group III: 100m backstroke: 1. Komal Athare (Mah - 1:13.02); 2. M.S. Niveditha (Kar - 1:15.21); 3. Amrapali Das Gupta (Ben - 1:15.21). 100m freestyle: 1. Deepti Venkatesh (Mah - 1:06.07); 2. Amrapali Das Gupta (Ben - 1:07.38); 3. M.S. Niveditha (Kar - 1:07.53).

Group IV: 50m backstroke: 1. Apurva Kulkarni (Mah - 37.95); 2. Bhargavi Mottak (Asm - 38.03); 3. Fariha Zaman (Asm - 38.09). 100m freestyle: 1. Rujuta Gadgil (Mah - 1:11.06); 2. Kshipra (Kar - 1:11.10); 3. Neerja (Kar - 1:13.68).

Diving: Boys: Group II: 1m spring board: 1. Tarun Saini (Del - 294.90 pts); 2. Rahul Kutre (Kar - 288.40); 3. Swaraj Patil (Mah - 288.80).

Group III: High board: 1. Rohan Anil Sambrani (Mah - 219.05); 2. Yateen Shah (Mah - 212.60); 3. Indra Krishna Dhaon (UP - 205.85).

Group IV: 3m spring board: 1. Jaideep Amre (Goa - 176.45); 2. Krishna Muralidhar Naik (Mah - 176.15); 3. Himanshu Kandhari (Del - 163.00).

Girls: Group II: 1m spring board: 1. Shweta Joshi (Mah - 278.13); 2. Yogita S. Walunj (Mah - 233.70); 3. Saheli Roy (Ben - 210.05).

Group III: High board: 1. Sayuli Pai Raikar (Goa - 194.80); 2. Mou Bhattacharya (Ben - 187.55); 3. Trushna Patel (Mah - 182.35).

Group IV: 3m spring board: 1. Afra Sheikh (Goa - 185.45); 2. Hrutika P. Shriram (Mah - 167.05); 3. Karishma M. Mohite (Kar - 165.65).

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