Date:19/06/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/06/19/stories/2003061903782000.htm

Sport - Swimming

Karnataka and Maharashtra will fight it out

By Our Sports Reporter

NEW DELHI JUNE 18. For quite some time now Karnataka has been at the forefront of the aquatic disciplines. Though, India has had no inspiring results in swimming, internationally, more and more youngsters in Karnataka are taking the plunge in the pool.

Closely following them are their neighbours from Maharashtra. And, as the 20th sub-junior National swimming championships gets underway at the Talkatora complex here on Thursday, a similar trend is likely to be witnessed over the next four days.

Karnataka, the champion in boys' and girls' Group III (under-12), is here with a mission to dislodge Maharashtra from the pedestal of Group IV (under-10). At the previous edition in Bangalore, Karnataka had to share the honours with Maharashtra, which swam its way to the Group IV team championship, in both the boys' and girls' sections.

"We are looking at the overall championship in the sub-juniors. Basically, our concentration is on the higher age groups so we expect more medals from Group III,'' said the Karnataka coach Pradeep Kumar.

Karnataka has its focus on the junior championship as well, which will be held at the same pool from June 24 to 28.

"We will win most of the medals in the junior section. We are here for that,'' Mr. Kumar said.

As for Maharashtra, it will have to depend on the lower age-group swimmers to deliver.

As regards host Delhi, it has a moderate team on which it can base its hopes. Mohit Kumar, Shantanu Tokas and Avinash Hore are some of the good prospects who can win a few medals.

Meanwhile, a change in the age groupings, as required by the FINA, the international swimming federation, has somewhat irritated the coaches. The FINA has ruled that the age groupings be changed to match international standards, as being used in the Asian and other championships.

Till the last Nationals, Group III was meant for under-13 and Group IV for under-11. With the change, by one year, it would be difficult to expect any records being broken at this championship.

While the coaches are incensed, the Secretary of the Swimming Federation of India (SFI), Virendra Nanavati, said that the records would not change even though the age groupings have.

"The existing records will remain as they are,'' Mr. Nanavati said.

There are 10 swimming events scheduled for the first day. Heats of every event will be held in the morning session with finals slated for the evening.