Sajan Prakash sets national record in 200m butterfly at Belgrade swimming meet
Sajan Prakash won the gold but was unable to make the Olympic cut. Srihari Nataraj and Shoan Ganguly also won gold medals in their respective events.
India’s Olympic hopeful Sajan Prakash set a new national record in the 200m butterfly race to win the gold medal on the opening day of the Belgrade Trophy 2021 in Serbia on Saturday.
The Indian swimmer clocked 1:56.96. The previous record of 1:57.73 was also set by Sajan Prakash at the senior national championships in 2018.
However, Sajan’s efforts were not enough to make the Olympic Qualification Time (OQT), which is set at 1:56.48.
Sajan Prakash has clocked the Olympic Selection Times (OST) -- B standard -- in the 200m butterfly. The B standard only allows swimmers at the Olympics if the total quota is not filled at the end of the qualification period on June 27 provided certain criteria is met.
Only the Olympic Qualifying Time (OQT) -- ‘A standard’ -- ensures direct participation at the Summer Games. No Indian has ever achieved the A standard yet.
Iran’s Matin Balsini came in second with a timing of 2:00.94, while another Indian Tanish Mathew took the bronze medal with 2:13.55.
Later, Srihari Nataraj too joined the party with a fine swim that saw him win the gold medal in the 100m backstroke event.
The 20-year-old Srihari Nataraj clocked 54.45 seconds for the top prize but was way off the Olympic qualification time of 53.85 seconds.
Ramy Al Ghaziri of the Jazira swimming club, Lebanon came in second with a timing of 58.18 seconds while Djordje Dragojlovic from 11 April swim club, Serbia completed the podium in 58.55 seconds.
Also among the medals were Shoan Ganguly and experienced backstroker Maana Patel of India.
While the 16-year-old Ganguly won the gold medal in the 400m individual medley with a time of 4:36.70, Maana Patel took the silver medal in the 50m backstroke in 29.79 seconds.
Belgrade Trophy 2021 results: Indian swimmers on day 1
Event, swimmer, time, position
Men
100m freestyle: Tanish Mathew 52.39, 7th
100m backstroke: Srihari Nataraj 54.45, 1st
200m butterfly: Sajan Prakash 1:56.96, 1; Tanish Mathew 2:13.55, 3rd
50m butterfly: Tanish Mathew 25.89 seconds, 4th
400m individual medley: Shoan Ganguly 4:36.70, 1st
Women
50m freestyle: Kenisha Gupta 36.65, 4th
50m backstroke: Maana Patel 29.79, 2nd