Swimmer Srihari ends 16-yr drought with silver

Ahmedabad: Ace Indian swimmer Srihari Nataraj dazzled on the opening day of the 11th Asian Aquatics Championships, clinching the 200m freestyle and 50m backstroke silver medals to become the first Indian swimmer to win two continental medals in a single edition of the competition, here on Sunday.

This is also the first time in 16 years that India has won a medal in the elite continental competition.

However, India's up-and-coming teenage swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu missed out on a podium finish in women's 200m freestyle, finishing fifth after qualifying for the final from Heat 1. She clocked 2:02.84 seconds.

Srihari clocked 1:48.47 seconds to finish behind 17-year-old Chinese Xu Haibo, who timed 1:46.83 seconds and was 1.64 second faster than the tall 24-year-old Indian, who has represented the country at the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympics.

The Indian, however, could not improve upon the national record of 1:48.22 seconds, which is also in his name.

Hinata Ando of Japan finished with a bronze, clocking 1:48.73 seconds.

Srihari then made history by winning another silver in 50m backstroke, clocking 25.46 seconds. Rishabh Das finished second with 25.98 seconds. China's Wang Gukailai took the gold timing 25.11 seconds.The Indian contingent has been based in Naranpura over the past month for the national coaching camp The other Indian, Aneesh Sunil Kumar Gowda competing in Heat 4, could not make the grade finishing fourth in the race with a time of 1:52.62 seconds.