<p>Needing one more gold to surpass Nisha Millet’s individual record haul of 11 -- the Bangalorean had three more gold from relay – Delhi’s Richa was stopped short of the historic mark by two upcoming youngsters as the swimming competition came to grand conclusion in front of another packed house at Beer Budhu Bhagat pool.<br /><br />Still, the 27-year-old was by far the most impressive swimmer of the meet, pocketing 11 gold, four silver and one bronze from 20 punishing events she competed in. <br /><br />Found wanting in the sprints, Richa tried hard in the 100M breaststroke and 100M freestyle on Saturday but could only muster silver medals with Maharashtra’s Poorva Shetye and Goa’s Talasha Prabhu claiming victories respectively.<br /><br />Khade, the fastest man here after a meet record-breaking swim in the 50M freestyle, powered home in the 100M freestyle, clinching his eighth gold and setting the same number of records.<br /><br />“It is a very good start for the season,” said a delighted Khade. <br />“It is the pre-Olympic year and most of us landed here without any practice; breaking our routine as well. In way it is good and bad,” added Khade.<br /><br />Powerhouse Karnataka did not have much to cherish, Rohit R Havaldar bagging a silver in the 100 metres freestyle and Karishma M Mohite winning a bronze in the 3M springboard diving competition.<br /><br />The defending champions thus signed off their campaign third, winning 10 gold, 13 silver and eight bronze. <br /><br />Rivals Maharashtra emerged overall winners with 17 gold, 15 silver and 15 bronze while Delhi – riding solely on the heroics of Richa – took runners-up spot with 11 gold, seven silver and four bronze.<br /><br />Results: Men: 100M breaststroke: Sandeep Sejwal (Madhya Pradesh) 1:38.85 (New Meet Record – Old: 1:06.76, Sandeep Sejwal) 1; Puneet Rana (Haryana) 1:05.47 (Bettered Meet Record) 2; Jashandeep Singh (Punjab) 1:07.56, 3.<br /><br />100M freestyle: Virdhawal Khade (Maharashtra) 51.30 seconds (NMR – Old: 52.80, Virdhawal Khade) 52.80, 1; Rohit R Havaldar (Karnataka) 54.02, 2; Jaywant Vijaya Kumar (Tamil Nadu) 54.41, 3.<br /><br />Women: 100M breaststroke: Poorva Shetye (Maharastra) 1:18.84, 1; Richa Mishra (delhi) 1:20.81, 2; AV Jayaveena (Tamil Nadu) 1:21.46, 3.<br /><br />100M freestyle: Talasha Prabhu (Goa) 1:00.01, 1; Richa Mishra (Delhi) 1:00.92, 2; Arti Ghorpade (Maharashtra) 1:01.88, 3.<br /><br />Diving: Women: 3M springboard: Hrutika Shriram (Maharashtra) 177.00 points, 1; Swati Vidap (Maharashtra) 139.20, 2; Karishma M Mohite (Karnataka) 134.05, 3.<br />Waterpolo: Men, final: Kerala: 8 bt Services: 6. Third place play-off: Maharashtra: 8 bt Bengal: 6.<br /><br />Women, final: Kerala: 7 bt Delhi: 1. Third place play-off: Maharashtra: 6 bt Karnataka: 3.</p>
<p>Needing one more gold to surpass Nisha Millet’s individual record haul of 11 -- the Bangalorean had three more gold from relay – Delhi’s Richa was stopped short of the historic mark by two upcoming youngsters as the swimming competition came to grand conclusion in front of another packed house at Beer Budhu Bhagat pool.<br /><br />Still, the 27-year-old was by far the most impressive swimmer of the meet, pocketing 11 gold, four silver and one bronze from 20 punishing events she competed in. <br /><br />Found wanting in the sprints, Richa tried hard in the 100M breaststroke and 100M freestyle on Saturday but could only muster silver medals with Maharashtra’s Poorva Shetye and Goa’s Talasha Prabhu claiming victories respectively.<br /><br />Khade, the fastest man here after a meet record-breaking swim in the 50M freestyle, powered home in the 100M freestyle, clinching his eighth gold and setting the same number of records.<br /><br />“It is a very good start for the season,” said a delighted Khade. <br />“It is the pre-Olympic year and most of us landed here without any practice; breaking our routine as well. In way it is good and bad,” added Khade.<br /><br />Powerhouse Karnataka did not have much to cherish, Rohit R Havaldar bagging a silver in the 100 metres freestyle and Karishma M Mohite winning a bronze in the 3M springboard diving competition.<br /><br />The defending champions thus signed off their campaign third, winning 10 gold, 13 silver and eight bronze. <br /><br />Rivals Maharashtra emerged overall winners with 17 gold, 15 silver and 15 bronze while Delhi – riding solely on the heroics of Richa – took runners-up spot with 11 gold, seven silver and four bronze.<br /><br />Results: Men: 100M breaststroke: Sandeep Sejwal (Madhya Pradesh) 1:38.85 (New Meet Record – Old: 1:06.76, Sandeep Sejwal) 1; Puneet Rana (Haryana) 1:05.47 (Bettered Meet Record) 2; Jashandeep Singh (Punjab) 1:07.56, 3.<br /><br />100M freestyle: Virdhawal Khade (Maharashtra) 51.30 seconds (NMR – Old: 52.80, Virdhawal Khade) 52.80, 1; Rohit R Havaldar (Karnataka) 54.02, 2; Jaywant Vijaya Kumar (Tamil Nadu) 54.41, 3.<br /><br />Women: 100M breaststroke: Poorva Shetye (Maharastra) 1:18.84, 1; Richa Mishra (delhi) 1:20.81, 2; AV Jayaveena (Tamil Nadu) 1:21.46, 3.<br /><br />100M freestyle: Talasha Prabhu (Goa) 1:00.01, 1; Richa Mishra (Delhi) 1:00.92, 2; Arti Ghorpade (Maharashtra) 1:01.88, 3.<br /><br />Diving: Women: 3M springboard: Hrutika Shriram (Maharashtra) 177.00 points, 1; Swati Vidap (Maharashtra) 139.20, 2; Karishma M Mohite (Karnataka) 134.05, 3.<br />Waterpolo: Men, final: Kerala: 8 bt Services: 6. Third place play-off: Maharashtra: 8 bt Bengal: 6.<br /><br />Women, final: Kerala: 7 bt Delhi: 1. Third place play-off: Maharashtra: 6 bt Karnataka: 3.</p>
