State banking on juniors to make a splash

MUMBAI, DECEMBER 3: Home advantage apart, there are few indications that Maharashtra will do any better than in the last National Aquatic ...

MUMBAI, DECEMBER 3: Home advantage apart, there are few indications that Maharashtra will do any better than in the last National Aquatic Championships which was held at Bangalore.

As the event gets under way on Sunday at the Andheri Sports Complex, the only hope for the State remains in its promising juniors transgressing the ranks to senior category with success. An abundant talent supply in the age-group has, in recent times, failed to make the senior grade resulting in the state possessing just two National champions in swimming.

Zeba Wadia, winner in the 50m and 100 metre breastroke events for two years, wants the record in 100m and the 200m, where she got the silver in the last two championships. She already has the 50m record set in Thiruvananthapuram in 1997. The enigmatic Shane Pedder won the 50m freestyle at Bangalore and stayed away from competition from then on.

With just three months8217; training behind him, Pedder hoped to retain the 50m butterfly title and get his hands on the 50m backstrokegold, which he lost narrowly in Bangalore. He also hopes to do better on his 50m butterfly National mark of 26.44 seconds and the two successive third-place returns in the 50m freestyle.

Success in junior ranks has been highlighted by impressive performances in the All-India University games at Thiruvananthapuram and the National School Games at Patiala last month. One of the successes at the University games, Kaustubh Radkar, who took the individual title apart from four gold medals, is seen as someone with promise by State coach Sandeep Divgikar.

That apart, the School Games saw Bhavana Sharma under-17 and Siddhant Nadkarni under-19 walk away with the individual honours apart from a host of other medal-winners. But the gulf between that level and the senior Nationals will take a miracle to bridge within the space of a month.

The squad suffered another blow with promising junior Amar Muralidharan8217;s move to Central Reserve Police Force. Which leaves the state with the prospect of treasuring twoNational champions once again.

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WATER POLO POSSIBILITIES: Maharashtra8217;s loss has been Railway8217;s gain. The state loses a bulk of its players to Railways, virtually forcing a second string side to take the pool.

Inexperience will make things difficult for the side to get their hands on a cup they last won in 8217;89. That was the culmination of three straight wins from 8217;87 onwards but since then the team has always been the bridesmaid never the bride, like in 8217;98 when they lost to Railways.

Coach Percy Hakim admitted the team was aiming for a place in the super league before setting sight further. The unavailability of veterans Sanjay Karandikar, goalkeeper Sailesh Tamarkar and Kedar Dixit, the first two members of the 8217;89 squad, has further dented the team8217;s hopes.

The women have done much better, winning in 8217;97 though last year was a disappointing fourth. But what better than a title-win on home waters.

Water polo team

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Men: Rajesh Manghani captain, Ravindra Dhuri vice-captain,Shailesh Bangale, Amit Kulkarni, Harshad Barve, Hiren Razda, Peter Hakim, Tejas Pathare, Prabhat Agarwal, Ranjit Shrotriya, Sanket Shinde, Vilas Deshmukh, Arun Mishra both goal-keepers. Reserves: Niranjan Dixit, Amol Deo.

Women: Shireen Dhabar captain, Yogita Dhuri vice-captain, Bhairavi Merchant, Delma Bhumgara, Mugdha Kamat, Rujuta Deshpande, Arohi Karmakar, Meghna Chitade, Sumita Gawhane, Mugdha Dhamarkar, Sukhjeet Kaur, Prachi Sardeshmukh, Grizelda Logo both goal-keepers. Reserve: Vishaka Motghare.

Coaches: Percy Hakim, Subodh Danke.