The Hindu : Aquatics: Richa etches two new National records in her name

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 17, 2002

Sport

Sport - National Games

Aquatics: Richa etches two new National records in her name

By A. Vinod

Andhra Pradesh's Richa Mishra en route to a new National record in the 50m women's butterfly event in the National Games aquatics competition in Hyderabad on Monday. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

HYDERABAD Dec. 16. Already a big favourite with the crowd, Richa Mishra gave a lot to cheer for her new found supporters by accounting for both the new National records that were sunk at the aquatics events of the 32nd National Games at the Swarnandhra Pradesh Sports Complex pool on Monday.

The 19-year-old collegian from Delhi was at her best this evening as she collected her second and third individual gold of the meet with a terrific display. But only in the 400m freestyle did the CRPF Inspector met with challenge as she beat back a spirited fight back from the reigning National record holder Karnataka's Shikha Tandon towards the end of the eight-lapper.

Richa had worked up a sizeable lead in the initial stages of the race but looked to be in trouble when Shikha closed in the gap slowly but surely towards the end. However, Richa seemed to have come well prepared for any eventuality as she held on to her lead before touching the wall in an impressive 4:35.11. Shikha also went under her old mark of 4:38.05 as she returned in 4:35.78.

In the 50-m butterfly, Richa was completely at ease as she stroked ahead of her rivals to finish ahead of Karnataka's C. Shubha in 0:30.07, obliterating the process Meghna Narayan's four-year-old National record of 0:30.57.

Akbar Ali Mir won the corresponding race for men edging his way past K.Rajeev (Kerala) and R. Anil Kumar (Services) with a meet record time of 0:26.52, while Rehan Poncha took the 400m individual medley gold before guiding Karnataka to an effortless win in the 400m freestyle relay.

The results: Men: 50m butterfly: 1. Akbar Ali Mir (Ben), 0:26.52 - New Meet Record; OR - 0:26.78, R. Anil Kumar (heats), 2. K. Rajeev (Ker), 0:26.61, 3. R. Anil Kumar (SSCB), 0:26.71. 400m individual medley: 1. Rehan Poncha (Kar), 4:48.35, 2. Kailash Nath (AP), 4:53.46, 3. Deepak Kumar Singh (AP), 4:59.36. 4 x 100m freestyle relay: 1. Karnataka (Ashwin Kumar, N.A.Krishna, Rehan Poncha, Rahul Batra), 3:42.20, 2. Services, 3:42.88, 3. Andhra Pradesh, 3:48.02.

Women: 400m freestyle: 1. Richa Mishra (AP), 4:35.11 - New National Record; OR - 4:38.04, Shikha Tandon, 1998, 2. Shikha Tandon (Kar), 4:35.78, 3. V. Shivaranjani (Kar), 4:45.05. 50m butterfly: 1. Richa Mishra (AP), 0:30.07 - NNR; OR - 0:30.57, Meghna Narayan, 1998, 2. C.Shubha (Kar), 0:30.81, 3. Shikha Tandon (Kar) & Amina Sait (TN), 0:31.29. 4 x 100m medley relay: 1. Karnataka (Shikha Tandon, V. Sivaranjani, C.Shubha, Reshma Millet), 4:44.43, 2. Andhra Pradesh, 4:53.41, 3. Kerala, 4:57.68.

Diving: Women (1m springboard): 1. Vidita Powle (Mah), 157.30 points, 2. Ashwini A. Mohite (Kar), 155.80, 3. Mamoni Mondal (Ben), 152.25.

Waterpolo (preliminary league): Men: Group A: Kerala bt Andhra Pradesh 11-5; Maharashtra bt Karnataka 6-3. Group B: Services bt Manipur 14-3. Women: Group A: Kerala bt Karnataka 11-0. Group B: Maharashtra bt Punjab 8-1.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport