Manipur’s Athoiba Singh, Goa’s Purvi strike gold in 200m freestyle at Junior Nationals

Manipur's Koijam Athoiba Singh and Goa's Purvi Ritesh Nayak won the boys' and girls' 200m freestyle events on the opening day of the 51st Junior National Aquatic Championship in Bengaluru, on August 4.

In the boys' 200m freestyle, Athobia Singh and Amith H Pavan from Karnataka inched ahead from the rest of the pack in the first 100 meters but the former turned on the afterburners in the second lap to pull ahead and clinch the first place with a time of 2:09.63.

Amith pulled in second clocking 2:10.92 while Krishiv Doshi, from Madhya Pradesh came third, clocking 2:13.44.

The corresponding girls’ section, saw a dogfight between Serena Saroha, Stuti Singh, Nyra Bopanna and Annika Goplani.

Serena led till the halfway point but Purvi Ritesh Naik of Goa surged ahead in the final stretch to clinch the top spot with a time of 2:18.35, followed by Karnataka’s Stuti Singh in second place with a time of 2:20.30 and Nyra in third place with 2:20.43.

In the boys’ 200m individual medley, Hemanshu Nahakpam from Manipur pulled miles ahead of his competitors, clocking 2:23.80 to clinch the top spot.

Statemate Athoiba Singh followed him in second place with a time of 2:28.74.

A P Arya Sathar from Tamil Nadu with a time of 2:31.21 clinched the third spot.

It was a tight battle between Maharashtra’s Heeva Bhavesh Patel and Annika Goplani in the girls’ 200m individual medley with the former holding a slight lead in the last lap to finish first with a time of 2:40.81.

Annika finished second with 2:41.55, and she was joined on the podium by Haryana’s Serena after clocking 2:43.74.