Date:24/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/24/stories/2008102456382000.htm

Sport - Sports : General

Arjun unstoppable

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Arjun Muralidharan, the ace swimmer from Border Security Force, proved to be unstoppable once again as he accounted for both the new records set on the fourth day of the 57th all-India police aquatics meet at the Water Works swimming pool here on Thursday.

The BSF swimmer, in cracking form right from day one, swam a brilliant 27.75s in the 50m backstroke to erase T.K. Senthil Kumar’s old record of 28.09s, set in 2004. He then returned to reduce his own old mark of 2:07.31 in the 200m butterfly. Arjun’s new mark, as he finished the four-lap race ahead of his sibling Amar Muralidharan (CRPF), stood at 2:05.68.

Rohith Kumar saved the blushes for CRPF for a second day in succession, winning the 50m breaststroke gold as the fourth title to be decided was taken by BSF’s Mandar Anand Divase by collaring the 1500m freestyle gold medal. At the end of the penultimate day’s proceedings, BSF led the points table with 160 points ahead of CRPF (146) and CISF (39).

The results (all finals):

Men: 1500m freestyle: 1. Mandar Anand Divase (BSF), 17:25.35, 2. Amar Muralidharan (CRPF), 18:02.73, 3. N.G. Guno Singh (BSF), 18:20.07. 50m backstroke: 1. Arjun Muralidharan (BSF), 27.75s (New Meet Record; Old Record – 28.09s, T.K. Senthil Kumar, 2004), 2. Elvis Ali Hazarika (CRPF), 29.63s, 3.Vinay Krishna (BSF), 29.98s. 50m breaststroke: 1. Rohith Kumar (CRPF), 30.60s, 2. Deepak Kumar Singh (CRPF), 31.40s, 3. Srikant Palande (Mah), 31.44s. 200m butterfly: 1. Arjun Muralidharan (BSF), 2:05.68 – NMR; OR – 2:07.31, self, 2004), 2. Amar Muralidharan (CRPF), 2:08.57, 3. Elvis Ali Hazarika (CRPF), 2:18.88.