In a remarkable performance at the ongoing 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, the Indian Men's 4x100m Medley Relay Team made headlines by shattering the national record. The team showcased its prowess, clocking an impressive timing of 3:40.84s to finish fourth in the heats, earning them a place in the final to be held later on Tuesday. The relay squad, comprising Srihari Nataraj, Likith Selvaraj, Sajan Prakash, and Tanish George Matthew, surpassed the previous national record set at the 2018 Asian Games.
Despite their exceptional performance, the Indian relay team trailed leaders China by 6.04 seconds in the qualifying heats. Fans and sports enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating their performance in the finals, where the team is expected to vie for podium positions.
On the women's front, Palak Joshi missed the chance to advance to the finals, finishing 14th in the women's 200m backstroke heats, clocking a timing of 2:25:81. Additionally, Shivangi Sarma faced a setback in the women's 100m Freestyle heats. Clocking 58.31 seconds, she finished seventh in her heat and 17th overall, unfortunately missing the final qualification.
Earlier in the competition, Srihari Nataraj showcased commendable skills, reaching the final of the men's 50m backstroke event. However, he finished in sixth place in the medal contention round, clocking 25.39 seconds. Notably, this was Nataraj's second final appearance in just two days. He previously secured sixth place in the men's 100m backstroke final on Sunday.
Likith Selvaraj, another swimming sensation representing India at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Aquatic Sports Arena, secured the seventh position in the men's 100m breaststroke final. Selvaraj outperformed his previous best, recording an impressive 1:01.62 seconds, a significant improvement from his earlier 1:01.98 seconds.
Furthermore, India's men's 4x200m freestyle team, including Aryan Nehra, Aneesh Gowda, Kushagra Rawat, and Tanish George Mathew, managed to reach the final, eventually placing seventh with a timing of 7:29.23 seconds.
This year, India has marked its presence at the Asian Games with a strong 21-member swimming delegation, consisting of 12 men and 9 women. The nation's impressive performances in various events underline its growing stature in the aquatic discipline on the Asian sports landscape.
Â
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:Â
