Ronak lights up the pool

In the process,Sawant,a senior KG student of Salvation School,Dadar,pushed arch-rivals Spandan Yeole of Vibgyor and Kush Moriani of Otters Club to the second and third places,respectively,in all the four categories,in a remarkable show of dominance.

“I was off to good starts and that proved decisive,” explained a beaming Sawant,who recently snatched the individual championships at Khar Gymkhana and MIG to announce his arrival on the circuit. “My favourites are the freestyle and butterfly,but I will be focussing on improving my technique and timings in all categories in the future.”

“As he has proved at Khar,MIG and Bombay YMCA,he has great potential,” reasoned his father Nitin. “In the course of time,I would like him to be a top swimmer in Maharashtra and later groom him to represent India. But for that he needs top coaching and facilities,which we cannot afford at the moment. His current coaches at the (modest) Police Swimming Pool are Vinod Sir and Ms. Bansode. I am hoping things will get better.”

The other record breaker of the day was the talented Sudesh Tandelkar of Mandpeshwar Civic Federation,Borivili who clocked 02.27.61 seconds to shatter Sachet Engineer’s mark of 02.29.10 set last year,in the boys under-16 200m individual medley. Tandelkar endured stiff competition from arch-rivals Vedant Rao of Otters Club,who won silver and bronze medallist Shlok Gupta of Mulund Swimming Pool.

Seven-year-old Kapil Shetty of Goregaon Sports Club helped himself to two gold in the boys’ under-8 50m freestyle and backstroke.

Among the girls,Jumana Attaree of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj won three gold in the girls’ under-16 100m freestyle and backstroke and 200m individual medley.

Results

Boys U-6: 25m freestyle: 1. Ronak Sawant (Police Swimming Pool) 0.21.11 –NMR; 2. Spandan Yeole (Vibgyor High) 0.24.01; 3. Kush Moriani (Otters Club) 0.25.23. 25m backstroke: 1. Ronak Sawant (Police Swimming Pool); 2. Spandan Yeole (Vibgyor High); 3. Kush Moriani (Otters Club). 25m breaststroke: 1. Ronak Sawant (Police Swimming Pool); 2. Spandan Yeole (Vibgyor High); 3. Kush Moriani (Otters Club). 25m butterfly: 1. Ronak Sawant (Police Swimming Pool); 2. Spandan Yeole (Vibgyor High); 3. Kush Moriani (Otters Club). Boys U-8: 50m freestyle: 1. Kapil Shetty (Goregaon SC),2. Angath Sadnah (Otters Club),3. Arjunveer Gupta (Radio Club). 50m backstroke: 1. Kapil Shetty (Goregaon SC),2. Angath Sadnah (Otters Club),3. Arjunveer Gupta (Radio Club). Boys U-16: 200m Ind. Medley: 1. Sudesh Tandlekar (MCF) 02.27.61 – NMR; 2. Vedant Rao (Otters Club) 02.30.89; 3. Shlok Gupta (Mulund Swimming Pool) 02.40.88. Girls U-6: 25m freestyle: 1. Kiara Bangera (CSMSS),2. Anaya Punamiya (Police Swimming Pool),3. Leia Sadnah (Otters Club). 25m backstroke: 1. Kiara Bangera (CSMSS),2. Leia Sadnah (Otters Club),3. Anaya Punamiya (Police Swimming Pool). U-16: 100m freestyle: 1. Jumana Attaree (CSMSS),2. Sailee Patankar (Bombay YMCA),3. Sharmeen Rangwala (Radio Club). 100m backstroke: 1. Jumana Attaree (CSMSS),2. Sharmeen Rangwala (Radio Club),3. Sailee Patankar (Bombay YMCA). 200m Ind. Medley: 1. Jumana Attaree (CSMSS),2. Sharmeen Rangwala (Radio Club),3. Sailee Patankar (Bombay YMCA).