Sushrut and Saif fastest Indian Swimmers at 9th Asian Open Water Championships
Sushrut Kapse from GAF Mumbai and Saif Chandan from GAFRAY Bangalore emerged the fastest Indian swimmers at the 9th Asian Open Water Championships held at Marina Beach in Kuwait.
Sushrut finished 12th in the 10 Km race clocking a time of 03:17:46 while Saif Chandan claimed the 24th place with a time of 01:31:46 in the 5 Km race.
Both were the fastest Indians in their respective category. Coach Bushan accompanied the Indian team as a coach.
Swimmers from GAF Mumbai, SGTIDM Delhi and GAFRAY Bangalore win 30 Medals at Bangkok
Swimmers from the Glenmark Aquatic Foundation Mumbai, SAI Glenmark TIDM Delhi and GAFRAY Bangalore claimed 30 medals comprising of 11 Gold, 13 Silver and 5 Bronze medals at the Thailand Age Group Swimming Championships which concluded on 10th April 2019 at Bangkok.
The Event proved historical for SGTIDM swimmer Kushagra Rawat as he clocked a B cut in the 800 m Freestyle for both the Tokyo Olympics and the FINA World Championships to be held in Gwangju, South Korea in July 2019. Kushagra also made the B cut in the 400 m Freestyle for the World Championships. He won 3 Gold medals in the meet and recorded the best ever time for an Indian swimmer in the 800m Freestyle clocking a time of 08:07.99
Swadesh Mondal won the 200 IM giving his personal best and clocking a time better than the National record for Group I stopping the clock at 02.09.21. Swadesh also excelled in his breaststroke events winning 3 golds in the 200 IM, 200 m Breaststroke and 50 m Breaststroke.
Kiara Bangera from GAF Mumbai had a rich haul of 5 medals making it a very successful event for this talented swimmer. Kiara won 4 silvers in the 200 m Butterfly, 200 m Freestyle, 1500 m Freestyle and 400 m Freestyle. She won the bronze in the 800 m Freestyle. It was the first outing for Kiara for distance events like the 800 and 1500 m Freestyle.
Other medal winners included Bikram Changmai with 2 Golds, Ansu Kar with 1 silver and 2 Bronze, Aryan Vijay Varnekar, Maana Patel and Veer Khatkar with 1 Gold and 1 Silver each, Anurag R Singh and Gyan Sandhan Kashyap with 2 Silver each.
Saif Chandan Ali from GAFRAY Bangalore won a Silver medal in Boys Group I category in 200 m Butterfly and became the first swimmer from the Bangalore Centre to win a medal at an International meet.
It was a wonderful learning experience for all swimmers.
The team is led by Technical Director Carles Subirana and head coaches Partha Pratim Majumder, Peter Carswell and Bushan Kumar. Coach Parampal from SGTIDM was also a part of the team in Bangkok.
List of Medal Winners
Swimmer Name
Group
Event
Time
Medal
1
Kushagra Rawat
Open
1500 m Freestyle
15.56.60
Gold
2
Veer Khatkar
II
100 m Freestyle
00.53.49
Gold
3
Aryan Vijay Varnekar
II
50 m Butterfly
00.25.59
Gold
4
Maana Patel
Open
100 m Backstroke
01.05.46
Gold
5
Bikram Changmai
II
100 m Butterfly
00.57.21
Gold
6
Swadesh Mondal
II
200 m Breaststroke
02.22.99
Gold
7
Kushagra Rawat
Open
400 m Freestyle
03.56.10
Gold
8
Swadesh Mondal
II
200 m Individual Medley
02.09.81
Gold
9
Kushagra Rawat
Open
800 m Freestyle
08.07.99
Gold
10
Bikram Changmai
II
200 m Butterfly
02.09.98
Gold
11
Swadesh Mondal
II
50 Breastsroke
00.31.27
Gold
12
Aryan Vijay Varnekar
II
100 m Butterfly
00.57.29
Silver
13
Gyan Sandhan Kashyap
II
100 m Freestyle
00.54.40
Silver
14
Kiara Bangera
III
200 m Butterfly
02.31.65
Silver
15
Kiara Bangera
III
200 m Freestyle
02.12.82
Silver
16
Ansu Kar
III
800 m Freestyle
09.27.96
Silver
17
Anurag R. Singh
I
800 m Freestyle
08.34.72
Silver
18
Kiara Bangera
III
1500 m Freestyle
18.59.11
Silver
19
Prachi Tokas
I
1500 m Freestyle
18.26.33
Silver
20
Maana Patel
Open
200 m Backstroke
02.26.37
Silver
21
Gyan Sandhan Kashyap
II
200 m Freestyle
02.00.16
Silver
22
Saif Chandan K S
I
200 m Butterfly
02.08.85
Silver
23
Anurag R. Singh
I
1500 Freestyle
16.27.23
Silver
24
Kiara Bangera
III
400 Freestyle
04.39.25
Silver
25
Kiara Bangera
III
800 m Freestyle
09.41.49
Bronze
26
Shivangi Sarma
I
400 m Individual Medley
05.35.02
Bronze
27
Ansu Kar
III
400 m Freestyle
04.31.26
Bronze
28
Gyan Sandhan Kashyap
II
800 m Freestyle
08.53.12
Bronze
29
Ansu Kar
III
200 m Freestyle
02.08.87
Bronze
30
Shivangi Sarma
I
400 m Freestyle
04.38.10
Bronze
Sai Glenmark swimmer Kushagra Rawat achieves B cut for Olympics 2020
Kushagra Rawat training at the SAI Glenmark TIDM programme in Delhi created history by becoming the fastest Indian in the 800 m Freestyle category clocking a time of 08.07.99. He clocked the time at the Speedo Thailand Age Group Championships being held at Bangkok. Kushagra has made the B cut for the FINA World Championships 2019 and Tokyo 2020. The B Time for Men 800m Freestyle for World Championship 2019 is 08:10.91 and for Tokyo 2020 Olympics is 08:08.54. He also made the B cut for the World Championships in the 400 m FS with a time of 03:56.10. The B Cut qualifying time for the World Championships is 03.56.14
The SAI Glenmark TIDM Programme is based out f the Dr SPM Swimming Complex in New Delhi and provides Swimmers with top class coaching and infrastructral facilities for them to succeed.
Kushagra Rawat said: ""Your aim must be high, Do your efforts accordingly, You will get Your goal nearby."
Head Coach of SGTIDM Porgram Partha Pratim Majumder said "This performance reflects that we are moving in the right direction towards our "Mission Olympic Podium 2020 / 2024" with his sincere training efforts. We developed specific long term programmes for him to ensure steady progression and motivated him and his family regularly. Our Coaching staff constantly monitored him and ensured he remains focussed. We thank SAI and GAF for all the support.".
Technical Director Carles Subirana said "Kushagra's sports career begins now. He has a very promising future. He is a very disciplined and fighter swimmer, essential qualities in a good sportsman. Now we will raise the bar a little higher so that he can start to enjoy elite international swimming.”
The SGTIDM programme was setup in 2016 wherein the Sports Authority of India and Glenmark Aquatic Foundation partnered with a vision to develop Indian swimmers for podium finishes at global aquatic meets like the Olympics. In 2020 Aquatics has 49 gold medals at stake highest among any sport. Carles Subirana, an experienced coach from Spain who has produced more than 10 Olympic medalists serves as technical Director. Partha Pratim Majumder is the head coach and is ably assisted by coaches from SAI.Kushagra joined the academy in 2016 wherein his best time in the 800FS 08.49.24. Extreme dedication, Scientifc Coaching, Sound global cocahing practices coupled with support from SAI and GAF have enabled Kushagra to become the fastest swimmer in the 800 FS in India today shedding around 42 seconds in three years. SAI Glenmark TIDM programme trains around 30 Khelo India accredited swimmers from ages of 14 to 20.
5 medals on the last day as Kushagra, Swadesh and Kiara shine
Swimmers belonging to GAF Mumbai, SAI Glenmark TIDM Delhi and GAFRAY Bengaluru won a total of 30 medals comprising of 11 Gold, 13 Silver and 6 Bronze medals at the Thailand Age Group Swimming Championships held at Assumption University Bangkok.
For results of all swimmers scroll to the bottom of the post.
Day 6
Kushagra Rawat and Swadesh Mondal continued their fine performance picking up Gold medals in the 1500 m Freestyle and 50 m Breaststroke Events. Rapidly improving Anurag Singh proved his mettle as a long distance swimmer picking up Silver in the grueling 1500 m Freestyle. Kiara Bangera added yet another medal picking up a Silver in the 400 m Freestyle while Shivangi Sarma won a bronze in the same event.
Day 5
Veer Khatkar and Aryan Varnekar excelled on Day 5 winning gold in the 100 m Freestyle and 50m Butterfly respectively clocking a time of 00:53.49 and 00:25.59 respectively. Gyan Kashyap and Prachi tokas added a silver to their kitty in the 100 m Freestyle and 800 m Freestyle respectively. Kiara BAngera continued her winning spree winning bronze in the 800 m Freestyle
Day 4
Bikram Changmai proved once again why he is considered among the best exponents of the Butterfly stroke by winning gold in the 100 m Butterfly with a time of 00.57.21. Maana PAtel easily swum to a gold in the 100m backstroke for womwn while Kiara Bangera bagged 2 silvers in a day in the 200 m Freestyle and 200 m Butterfly. Rapidly improving Aryan Varnekar also won Silver in the 100 m Butterfly.
Day 3
Kushagra Rawat continued his fine form as he won the 400 m Freestyle with a time of 03.56.10 He narrowly beat Olympian Sajan Prakash who claimed Silver. This time ensures that Kushagra has B cuts both in the 400 m and 800 m Freestyle events for the World Championships.
Swadesh Mondal reminded one and all about his credentials as a top exponent of Breaststroke winning gold in the 200 m Breaststroke event with a time of 02.22.99. Other medal winners included Ansu Kar and Shivangi Sarma in the 400m and 400 IM respectively.
Day 2
Kushagra Rawat created history by becoming the fastest Indian in the 800 m Freestyle category clocking a time of 08.07.99. Kushagra has made the B cut for the FINA World Championships 2019 and Tokyo 2020.
Swadesh broke the 02:10 barrier in the 200 IM and recorded a time better than the National Record for Group I.
Other medalists included Gyan, Anurag Singh and Ansu Kar.
Day 1 of the Speedo Thailand Age Group Swimming Championships saw Swimmers from all Centres of GAF namely GAF Mumbai, SAI Glenmark TIDM program in Delhi and GAFRAY Bengaluru won a total of 7 medals.
Bikram Changmai is slowly positioning himself as a wonderul age group butterfly swimmer as he won Gold in the 200 m Butterfly clocking a time of 02.09.98 which is incidentally better than the National record for Group II.
Rapidly improving Kiara Bangera won a silver in the 1500 m Freestyle in her maiden appearance. Prachi Tokas lived up to her reputation of being an ace long distance swimmer also winning silver in the 1500 m Freestyle. Saif Chandan Ali from the newly launched GAFRAY Swimming Program in BAngalore won bronze in the 200 m Freestyle.
