Sajan Prakash makes Olympic ‘B’ cut in 100m butterfly at Belgrade swimming meet
Sajan Prakash won the gold medal in the 100m butterfly while Srihari Nataraj managed gold in the 50m backstroke. India won four medals on the day.
Rio Olympian Sajan Prakash continued from where he left off on Saturday to manage another Olympic Selection Time (OST) or the ‘B’ standard for Tokyo 2020 at the Belgrade Trophy 2021 on Sunday.
At the Milan Muškatirović Sports and Recreational Center in the Serbian capital, the 27-year-old Indian swimmer did so after he won the gold medal in the 100m butterfly final.
Sajan Prakash clocked 53.27 seconds for the win while Djurdje Matic of the Swimming Club Vracar, Serbia won the silver in 55.13 seconds. Iran’s Mehdi Ansari was third in 55.42 seconds.
The Olympic Qualifying Time (OQT) also known as the ‘A’ standard for the event is set at 51.96 seconds.
While the OQT ensures direct participation at the Games, 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. No Indian has ever achieved the ‘A’ standard yet.
Sajan Prakash has already clocked the Olympic Selection Times (OST) -- the B standard -- in the 200m butterfly thus placing the Indian on standby for two swimming disciplines at Tokyo.
Other Indian medal winners on the final day of the Belgrade meet included the backstroke specialists Srihari Nataraj and Maana Patel, while youngster Tanish Mathew too managed a silver medal in his freestyle race.
Taking to the pool for the 50m backstroke final, Srihari Nataraj bossed the race to clinch the gold in 25.18 seconds. Djordje Dragojlovic of April 11 Swim Club, Serbia was second in 26.85 seconds while his club mate, Nikola Dokmanovic won the bronze in 27.94 seconds.
In the women’s 100m backstroke final, India’s Maana Patel and Jana Markovic of Dubocica Swim Club, Serbia were declared joint winners with both touching the pad in 1:03.77. Mia Eminova of PVK Orion completed the podium in 1:04.41.
Meanwhile, Tanish Mathew managed a silver medal in the 200m freestyle with a timing of 1:52.40.
Belgrade Trophy 2021 results: Indian swimmers on day 2
Event, swimmer, time, position
Men
200m freestyle: Tanish Mathew 1:52.40; 2nd
50m backstroke: Srihari Nataraj 25.18, 1st
100m butterfly: Sajan Prakash 53.27; 1st
200m individual medley: Shoan Ganguly 2:10.41, 4th
Women
100m freestyle: Kenisha Gupta 57.39, 5th
100m backstroke: Maana Patel 1:03.77; 1st