Swimming Nationals to be held in Bengaluru from October 26

The Swimming Federation of India (SFI) is all set to resume its calendar with the senior national championships. Senior swimming nationals will be held in Bengaluru from October 26-29. The city will also sub-junior and junior nationals from October 19-23.

All swimming events will be held at Basavangudi Aquatic Center. The diving and water polo events, on the other hand, will take place at Kensington Swimming Pool and Nettakallappa Aquatic Center respectively.

As per the Swimming Federation of India guidelines, a swimmer can compete in only five individual events.

“It is good that we are able to resume the swimming nationals. A lot of swimmers have been training for it, and then you cannot afford a two year break. So, it was important to get the calendar back on track,” SFI secretary general Monal Chokshi told Sportskeeda.

This will be the first nationals since the COVID-19 pandemic. The SFI feels while there will not be too many national records, it will be a good chance for swimmers to return to the competition stage.

Many states have gradually started opening their pools, but some remain shut, which could impact participation.

The SFI, despite the plans, have their fingers crossed that there is not COVID-19 outbreak during the swimming nationals.

Maana Patel looks to return to Swimming competition

Tokyo Olympian Maana Patel is all set to return to the competition with eyes on the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. She is the first ever female Indian swimmer to have qualified for the Olympics.

"Yes, I will be competing at the swimming nationals. "It would be good to be back in the pool," she told Sportskeeda.

Maana Patel currently holds the record in the women’s 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke events.

At the Games in Tokyo, she finished second in the heats but failed to qualify for the semi-finals. Her fellow Tokyo Olympians Srihari Nataraj and Sajan Prakash will also look forward to swimming nationals.