Srihari Nataraj creates nationwide report, wins second gold in Uzbekistan

Ace Indian swimmer Srihari Nataraj created a nationwide report in 50m backstroke whereas profitable his second gold of the Uzbekistan Open Championship right here.
The 20-year-old clocked 25.11 seconds to bag the highest prize within the FINA-accredited Olympic qualifying occasion on Saturday evening.
Indian swimmers loved a wealthy haul of 29 medals — 18 gold, seven silver and 4 bronze — within the meet.
It was Srihari’s third nationwide report in two days because the Bengaluru swimmer had rewritten the nationwide marks twice in 100m backstroke, his pet occasion, earlier this week.
In 100m backstroke by which Srihari has already achieved the ‘B’ customary time for Tokyo Olympics, the Indian had clocked his private better of 54.10s within the heats earlier than bettering it to 54.07s within the remaining to win the gold. He missed the Olympic ‘A’ qualification mark within the occasion by simply 0.22 seconds.
Another Olympic hopeful, Sajan Prakash additionally dazzled within the meet, notching up gold medal-winning performances in all 4 classes he participated in.
On the ultimate day on Saturday, the Kerala swimmer, who’s coming off a shoulder harm, completed with a time of 53.69s within the 100m butterfly to face atop the rostrum.
Maana Patel and Suvana Baskar, who clocked a private better of 30.28 seconds, took house the gold and silver respectively within the girls’s 50m backstroke occasion.
Like Srihari, Sajan, the lone male swimmer from the nation to compete on the 2016 Rio Olympics, additionally fell wanting the Olympic ‘A’ mark for Tokyo Games.
Competing in his pet occasion, the 200m butterfly on Tuesday, Sajan had clocked 1.57.85s, lacking the Olympics ‘A’ lower which is about at 1:56.48s.
While a ‘B’ mark means the swimmer will obtain an invite to the occasion if the overall out there quota locations should not stuffed up, an ‘A’ customary ensures an automated berth to line up on the Tokyo Olympics.
Apart from Sajan and Srihari, 4 different Indian swimmers — Virdhawal Khade, Kushagra Rawat, Aryan Makhija and Advait Page — have achieved the B customary for Tokyo Olympics of their respective classes.
No Indian has until date achieved the ‘A’ lower for Tokyo Olympics.