Panaji (Goa) [India], October 20 : The 24th National Para-Swimming Championship kicked off on Sunday in Goa, marking a vibrant celebration of exceptional talent and unyielding determination among athletes from across the country. This year's event has gathered competitors from various states, each eager to showcase their skills and compete for prestigious titles in a true testament to the spirit of resilience and athleticism.
In the men's events, Lakhan Singh from Rajasthan captured the gold medal in the S4 100m freestyle, finishing with an impressive time of 3:04.50. He was followed closely by Kamalkant from Odisha and Balraj from Haryana, who secured silver and bronze, respectively. Narhari from Odisha claimed victory in the S5 100m freestyle with a remarkable time of 1:54.73, edging out Lakshmarao from Andhra Pradesh and Shams Aalam from Bihar, who took silver and bronze.
Maharashtra's Chaitanya Vishwas stood out in the S6 100m freestyle, winning gold with a time of 1:15.64, followed by Rajendra Singh from Uttarakhand and Chaitonya from Odisha. The S7 category saw a strong performance from Karnataka, with Tejas and Gopichand finishing first and second, respectively. Tejas clocked in at 1:14.19, while Charith from Andhra Pradesh secured the bronze as per the press release by the National Para-Swimming Championship.
Karnataka continued to dominate the pool, with Shridhar winning gold in the S8 category with a time of 1:07.46. The S9 event saw another impressive showing, with Sahil Rajaram and Amol from Karnataka finishing first and second. In the S10 category, Kapil Kumar from the Services took gold with a swift 1:02.50, while Ajay Hindurao and Swapnil Sanjay from Maharashtra earned silver and bronze.
The junior events were equally thrilling, with Muhammed Aasim from Kerala winning gold in the Junior Boys S2 100m freestyle and Aniket Chidambar from Karnataka taking the top spot in the S5 category. Other standout performances included Eeshan from Karnataka in the S7 category and Mohit Kumar from Bihar in the S9 category.
The women's events showcased remarkable talent as well. In the S6 100m freestyle, [Athlete name] claimed gold, with Kabita from Odisha earning silver and Papu Devi from Rajasthan taking bronze. In the S7 category, Sharanya from Karnataka secured gold, while Maharashtra's Vasihnavi Vinod shone in the S8 category. Shashruti Vinayak from Maharashtra won gold in the S9 100m freestyle, clocking in at 1:36.83, with Monika from Haryana and Jambuben from Gujarat rounding out the podium as per the press release by the National Para-Swimming Championship.
The championship also included exciting 50m backstroke events, where Kamalakant from Odisha won gold in the Men's S3 category, and Jeya Selvan from Tamil Nadu took the top spot in the Men's S6 category.
This year's championship not only highlights the exceptional abilities of para-athletes but also underscores the spirit of inclusivity and determination within the sporting community. The event promises to inspire future generations of athletes and elevate the profile of para-sports across the nation.