<p>Gagan staked his claim as Karnataka best swimmer, scoring a come-from-behind victory in the 400M freestyle with a new meet record and then finishing third in the 200M individual medley. The talented 19-year-old lad has won six golds and two bronze, just one gold behind Maharashtra’s Virdhawal Khade.<br /><br />Gagan clocked four minutes 04.01 seconds, erasing the old time of 4:07.17 created by Virdhawal Khade. Gagan’s team-mate Rohit R Havaldar, who also bettered the meet mark grabbed bronze in 4:05.79.<br /><br />Coming into the Games with a strong mission – Richa has so far competed in 18 punishing events, including 15 individual races, – the 27-year-old Delhiite conjured another terrific performance, defying her age to grab two more gold medals in front of a packed and cheerful crowd at the Beer Budhu Bhagat Aquatic stadium.<br /><br />Richa timed 4:35.36 to pocket the 400M freestyle crown, following up with 200M individual medley gold, clocking 2:26.90. Richa’s 11th yellow metal now puts her three short of Nisha Millet’s record haul of 14 – 11 coming in individual events and remaining relay. <br /><br />Richa, who have two more events left on the morrow, may not be able to surpass Nisha’s overall tally, but she can at least hope to break the Bangalorean’s individual record of 11 gold medals won in the 1999 Games at Imphal. Nisha also had a silver from the 50M butterfly.<br /><br />On song and appearing completely unbeatable in middle and long distance swims, Richa kick-started her day by winning the 400M freestyle gold with a command show before smashing the meet record en route to 200M individual medley title. <br /><br />Later, Virdhawal Khade made the day memorable by winning the 200M indivudual medley and 50M backstroke titles with new meet records. <br /><br />Meanwhile Karnataka eves suffered a crushing 0-10 loss to Kerala in the semifinals of the waterpolo event. In the third-place play-off they will lock horns against Maharashtra.<br /><br />Results: Men: 400M freestyle: Gagan AP (Karnataka) 4:04.01 (New Meet Record – Old: Virdhawal Khade, 4:07.17) 1; Rohit R Havaldar (Karnataka) 4:05.79 (Bettered Meet Record) 4:05.79, 2; Mandar Divase (Maharashtra) 4:08.21, 3. 200M individual medley: Virdhawal Khade (Maharashtra) 2:11.74 (NMR – Old: 2:11.78) 1; Sandeep Sejwal (Madhya Pradesh) 2:14.74, 2; Gagan AP (Karnataka) 2:15.17, 3. 50M backstroke: Virdhawal Khade (Maharashtra) 27.52 seconds (NMR – Old: 27.90, Virdhawal Khade) 1; Sunil Kumar (Services) 28.00, 2; Rohit R Havaldar (Karnataka) 28.17, 3.<br />Women: 400M freestyle: Richa Mishra (Delhi) 4:35.36, 1; Talasha Prabhu (Goa) 4:39.67, 2; Arti Ghorpade (Maharashtra) 4:41.64, 3. 200M individual medley: Richa Mishra (Delhi) 2:26.90, 1; Pooja R Alva (Karnataka) 2:31.66, 2; Arti Ghorpade (Maharashtra) 2:36.25, 3. 50M backstroke: Avantika Chavan (Maharashtra) 32.10s, 1; Arti Ghorpade (Maharashtra) 32.89, 2; Richa Mishra (Delhi) 33.09, 3. Diving: Men: T Hari Prasad (Maharashtra) 266.10 points, 1; Y Hemjit Meitei (Jharkhand) 232.50, 2; Ch Oushkar Meitei (Jhar) 226.20, 3.<br />Waterpolo (semifinals): Men: Kerala: 9 bt West Bengal: 3; Services: 8 bt Maharashtra: 3.<br />Women: Delhi: 6 bt Maharashtra: 5; Kerala: 10 bt Karnataka: 0.</p>
<p>Gagan staked his claim as Karnataka best swimmer, scoring a come-from-behind victory in the 400M freestyle with a new meet record and then finishing third in the 200M individual medley. The talented 19-year-old lad has won six golds and two bronze, just one gold behind Maharashtra’s Virdhawal Khade.<br /><br />Gagan clocked four minutes 04.01 seconds, erasing the old time of 4:07.17 created by Virdhawal Khade. Gagan’s team-mate Rohit R Havaldar, who also bettered the meet mark grabbed bronze in 4:05.79.<br /><br />Coming into the Games with a strong mission – Richa has so far competed in 18 punishing events, including 15 individual races, – the 27-year-old Delhiite conjured another terrific performance, defying her age to grab two more gold medals in front of a packed and cheerful crowd at the Beer Budhu Bhagat Aquatic stadium.<br /><br />Richa timed 4:35.36 to pocket the 400M freestyle crown, following up with 200M individual medley gold, clocking 2:26.90. Richa’s 11th yellow metal now puts her three short of Nisha Millet’s record haul of 14 – 11 coming in individual events and remaining relay. <br /><br />Richa, who have two more events left on the morrow, may not be able to surpass Nisha’s overall tally, but she can at least hope to break the Bangalorean’s individual record of 11 gold medals won in the 1999 Games at Imphal. Nisha also had a silver from the 50M butterfly.<br /><br />On song and appearing completely unbeatable in middle and long distance swims, Richa kick-started her day by winning the 400M freestyle gold with a command show before smashing the meet record en route to 200M individual medley title. <br /><br />Later, Virdhawal Khade made the day memorable by winning the 200M indivudual medley and 50M backstroke titles with new meet records. <br /><br />Meanwhile Karnataka eves suffered a crushing 0-10 loss to Kerala in the semifinals of the waterpolo event. In the third-place play-off they will lock horns against Maharashtra.<br /><br />Results: Men: 400M freestyle: Gagan AP (Karnataka) 4:04.01 (New Meet Record – Old: Virdhawal Khade, 4:07.17) 1; Rohit R Havaldar (Karnataka) 4:05.79 (Bettered Meet Record) 4:05.79, 2; Mandar Divase (Maharashtra) 4:08.21, 3. 200M individual medley: Virdhawal Khade (Maharashtra) 2:11.74 (NMR – Old: 2:11.78) 1; Sandeep Sejwal (Madhya Pradesh) 2:14.74, 2; Gagan AP (Karnataka) 2:15.17, 3. 50M backstroke: Virdhawal Khade (Maharashtra) 27.52 seconds (NMR – Old: 27.90, Virdhawal Khade) 1; Sunil Kumar (Services) 28.00, 2; Rohit R Havaldar (Karnataka) 28.17, 3.<br />Women: 400M freestyle: Richa Mishra (Delhi) 4:35.36, 1; Talasha Prabhu (Goa) 4:39.67, 2; Arti Ghorpade (Maharashtra) 4:41.64, 3. 200M individual medley: Richa Mishra (Delhi) 2:26.90, 1; Pooja R Alva (Karnataka) 2:31.66, 2; Arti Ghorpade (Maharashtra) 2:36.25, 3. 50M backstroke: Avantika Chavan (Maharashtra) 32.10s, 1; Arti Ghorpade (Maharashtra) 32.89, 2; Richa Mishra (Delhi) 33.09, 3. Diving: Men: T Hari Prasad (Maharashtra) 266.10 points, 1; Y Hemjit Meitei (Jharkhand) 232.50, 2; Ch Oushkar Meitei (Jhar) 226.20, 3.<br />Waterpolo (semifinals): Men: Kerala: 9 bt West Bengal: 3; Services: 8 bt Maharashtra: 3.<br />Women: Delhi: 6 bt Maharashtra: 5; Kerala: 10 bt Karnataka: 0.</p>
