Bhopal / Divya breaks national record again in her lucky pool

Divya Satija had set the Prakash Tarun Pushkar pool on fire with her 50m butterfly National record two years ago and on Saturday, something told her that it could be a special day all over again.

She was right. With Karnataka's Nina Venkatesh pushing her hard, the 23-year-old from Faridabad broke her own National record, clocking 28.33s (old 28.64), to take the gold at the 73rd Glenmark National senior aquatic championships here. She also made the cut for the Asian age-group meet which begins in Bengaluru on September 24.

Meanwhile Maharashtra's Apeksha Fernandes shocked Karnataka's record-holder and defending champion Saloni Dalal and took the women's 200m breaststroke title.

A little earlier, Karnataka's S. Siva claimed his maiden senior National gold, by winning the tough men's 400m medley.

All in the mind

“I was eighth last year. It's really the mindset, I was getting very nervous when it came to the national arena and I used to fumble in my races. This year, it was all about keeping the mind calm and it worked,” said Siva who also qualified for the Asian age-group.

The results (finals):

Men: 50m butterfly: 1. Virdhawal Khade (Mah) 24.19s meet record, OR 24.26; 2. Supriya Mondal (Rly) 24.55, 3. Mihir Ambre (Mah) 24.78.

200m breaststroke: 1. S.P. Likith (Kar) 2:18.61s, 2. S. Danush (TN) 2:19.11, 3. M. Lohith (Rly) 2:19.94.

400m medley: 1. S. Siva (Kar) 4:33.01s, 2. T. Emil Robin Singh (Rly) 4:36.68, 3. M. Jayant (Ser) 4:41.21.

4x100m medley relay: 1. Karnataka (Srihari Nataraj, S.P. Likith, Rakshith U. Shetty, M. Prithvi) 3:48.83s meet record; OR 3:48.95), 2. Services (3:52.11), 3. Railway (3:52.93).

Women: 50m freestyle: 1. Rujuta Khade (Mah) 26.72s, 2. Kenisha Gupta (Mah) 26.90, 3. Avantika Chavan (Rly) 27.39.

1500m free: 1. Richa Mishra (Pol) 17:55.55s, 2. Bhavika Dugar (TN) 17:57.67, 3. Khushi Dinesh (Kar) 17:58.14.

50m butterfly: 1. Divya Satija (Har) 28.33 new Natl record; OR 28.64s, 2. Nina Venkatesh (Kar) 28.43, 3. Jyotsna Pansare (Mah) 28.74.

4x100m medley relay: 1. Maharashtra (Yuga Birnale, Kareena Shankta, Apeksha Fernandes, Kenisha Gupta) 4:33.10s, 2. Karnataka (4:34.84), 3. Tamil Nadu (4:39.49).