Paris 2024 Olympics: India’s swimming campaign ends with Srihari Nataraj and Dhinidhi Desinghu’s exit in heats

The Indian swimming campaign at the Paris 2024 Olympics ended on Sunday as Srihari Nataraj and Dhinidhi Desinghu bowed out in the heats of the men’s 100 backstroke and women's 200m freestyle events, respectively.

Competing at the Paris La Defense Arena, Srihari Nataraj clocked 55.01 to finish second in heat 2 and 33rd overall in a field of 46. Nataraj’s best time in the event is 53.77, which he achieved at the 2021 Sette Colli Trophy.

Only the top 16 from the heats progressed to the semi-finals, which takes place later in the day.

Hungarian swimmer Hubert Kos, the 2023 200m backstroke world champion, clocked a national record-bettering 52.78 to top the men’s 100 backstroke heats.

With 53.93, Great Britain’s Jonny Marshall placed 16th and was the final swimmer to make the cut for the semis.

This was Natarj’s second Olympic appearance. The Indian swimmer made his Summer Games debut and finished 27th.

Later in the day, the 14-year-old Dhinidhi Desinghu, the youngest member of India’s contingent at Paris 2024, clocked 2:06.96 to top heat 1. The Bengaluru swimmer holds the national swimming record of 2:04.24 in the event.

However, the teenager finished 23rd among 30 swimmers across four heats and failed to progress. It was Desinghu’s debut appearance at the Olympics.

Australia’s Mollie O'Callaghan, with 1:55.79, topped the 30-woman field and Rebecca-Aimee Diaconescu of Romania was the last woman to make the semi-final cut-off with a time of 1:59.29.

India only fielded two swimmers at Paris 2024 via Universality Places.