MUMBAI, Apr 14:
Danush Suresh and Vedant Khandeparkar clinched three medals in the youth grouping of the South African National Olympic trials at the Kings Park Aquatics Centre in Durban.
While the JSW-supported Danush earned a gold and silver in the 200m and 100m breaststroke respectively yesterday, Vedant took bronze in the 200m butterfly, said a media release today.
The South African National Olympic trials is a selection meet for the nation’s swimmers for the upcoming Rio Olympics in August.
The trials are also open to young swimmers, who compete in the youth grouping against competitors from across the country and all seven Indian swimmers, supported by the JSW Sports Excellence Programme, participated in the competition, said the release.
Chennai-based Danush’s clocked a personal best 2:25.42 to clinch the gold in the 200m breaststroke to earn a place in the semifinals of the event in the open category.
In the 100m breaststroke, Danush’s silver medal was clinched after he clocked 1:07.39.
Vedant, who hails from Mumbai, clinched the bronze in the 200m butterfly timing 2:14.13 seconds.
Coach Graham Hill, who is training the Indians, said that doing well in a competition as keenly contested as the Olympic trials would do a world of good to the confidence of the seven swimmers.
“It is a wonderful achievement to come out of the Olympic trials with three medals. The boys competed against some of the best in the world and that’s a big plus. Even Likith (SP) swam well and was unlucky to miss out on a medal. All the seven are improving steadily and the future looks bright,” he said.
The other four Indian swimmers who are currently training under Hill, who is Olympic gold medalist Chad Le Clos’ personal coach, are Siva S, Manav D, Karan KR (all from Bengaluru and Aryan Makhija (Mumbai). (PTI)
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