6 most promising swimmers from the 2015 National Games

Despite controversies and top athletes pulling out, the 35th National Games, the event had several positives that highlighted themselves. Swimming, in particular, had a major breakthrough with many promising youngsters coming to the fore.In fact, two swimmers were adjudged the best male and female athletes of this event. Sachin Tendulkar, who is the goodwill ambassador for the National Games, lauded the performance of young women swimmers. Tendulkar also said that the athletes deserve support and encouragement from all quarters.With the 2016 Rio Olympics fast approaching, let us look at the five most prominent swimmers who made it big at the National Games.

#1 Sajan Prakash (Kerala)

Sajan Prakash is the talk of the town right now (Source : The Hindu)

Sajan has already set his sights on 2016 Rio Olympics. Heconsiders 400m freestyle, 1500m freestyle and 200m butterfly to be his stronger styles andhas attained OlympicB standard in these events. His next goal will be to attain the A qualification fro 2016 Rio Olympics.

His exploits atthe National Gamesis something which earned him attention from sport lovers across India. Prakashwas rightly adjudged the best male athlete of the event. He wonnine medals in total,which included six golds.

Sajan, who works for the Railways, created as many as five meetrecords at the event.

#2 Maana Patel (Gujarat)

Patel is just 14 years old (Source: The New Indian Express)

Manna Patel, the young sensation from Gujarat, won two gold medals in 50m and 200m backstroke in this years national games.She seta meetrecord in 100 meters. She later went on to break her own record,a week later in the 60th National School Games in Rajkot finishing 43 seconds faster with a time of1:07:19.

The14-year old, burst onto the scene five years back at the Asia Age Group championship Tokyo, by breaking the national record in 50m and 100m back stroke. At the age of 13, she became the youngest player to break three national records at the Junior National Aquatics Championship in Hyderabad.

#3 Madhu P S, Kerala (Services)

Madhu set a national record at the Games (Source : The Hindu)

This Kerala born Services swimmer has proven to be another bright prospect alongside Sajan Prakash. Madhu won 4 gold medals in 100m Back Stroke, 200m Back Stroke,200m Individual Medley and 50m Back Stroke.

Apart from creating two meet records on the penultimate day, he won gold inthe 200m Individual medley.Madhudefeated the likes of ArvindMani (Karnataka), Sandeep (Madhya Pradesh) and Likath S P (Karnataka) and Sajan Prakash (Kerala).

Last November, at the 68th National Aquatic Championship, Madhu created two national records in 50m and 100m backstroke. He secured three gold medals and a silver medal in total.

#4 Aakanksha Vora (Maharashtra)

Vora won the best female athlete award (Source : The New Indian Express)

Aakanksha Vora was honoured asthe Best Female Athlete of National Games 2015. She achieved this feat,after winning sixmedals, which included fivegolds and a silver.

Hailing from Maharashtra, Aakanksha had earlier made a name for herself by winning fourgold medals and setting 2 national records in 1500m freestyle and 200m Individual Medley atthe 39th Junior National Aquatic Championships. She was also adjudged as the best swimmer under the group twocategory.

A year priorto that, Aakanksha created a new mark in the 800m freestyle event,apart from winning eightgold medals in the same championship.

#5 Saloni Dalal (Karnataka)

Dalal was the youngest medal winner at the event (Source: Preeti Somani)

Theclass sevenstudent from Karnataka caughtthe attention of India, aftershe became the youngest medal winner in the 2015National Games by winningbronzein the 200m breast-stroke. She was also a member of the silver medal winning 200 mrelay team. Dallal teamed up withAnisha Gaonkar, Malika A Goanekar and Rutuja Pawar.

Inventure Academy, her training centre, saidthat she might even be the youngest swimmer across India as there is no age group for swimming.

Dalal also qualified to compete in 100m breast stroke where, she had the secondbest finish fromKarnataka.

#6 Vaania Kapoor Achuthan (Karnataka)

Achuthan won two gold and two silver medalsat the 45th Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championships (Source: Wikipedia)

This 12-year-old prodigy from Bengaluru made a name for herself by winning four medals in the National Games.

As a nine year old, she bagged two gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze in her debut appearance at the State Sub Junior Aquatic Championships in 2011.

In the year 2013, this Primus Public School student, won four gold medals and was named as the best swimmer under group three in the same championships.

Vaania, who started swimming at the age of 2, forayed into the world stage by winning two gold and two silver medals at the 45th Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championship 2014.