Odisha Hosts Successful 40th Sub-Junior and 50th Junior Aquatic Championship, Karnataka Emerges as Champion

Bhubaneswar: The 40th Sub-Junior and 50th Junior Aquatic Championship concluded today at the Kalinga Stadium, with Karnataka claiming the overall championship trophy. The closing ceremony was graced by Odisha’s Minister of Sports & Youth Services, Suryabanshi Suraj, who presented the trophy and extended his heartfelt congratulations to all participants and winners.

The event saw 11 new records being set, highlighting the incredible talent and determination of young swimmers from across the country.

Odisha’s own rising stars made their mark in the championship, with Shreyasi Das winning silver in the 100m backstroke, while Mannata Mishra secured a gold medal in the 100m breaststroke and a bronze in the 200m breaststroke. Notably, Mishra’s victory marks Odisha’s first gold medal in the National Aquatic Championship.

The ceremony was attended by key dignitaries including Bhaskar Sarma, Principal Secretary of the Sports & Youth Services Department, Monal Choksi, Secretary General of the Swimming Federation of India (SFI), and members of The State Swimming Association.

This championship marks the third consecutive time that Odisha has hosted the Sub-Junior and Junior National Aquatic Championships. Minister Suryabanshi Suraj expressed his delight at the successful hosting of the event and thanked SFI and The State Swimming Association for their partnership.

Speaking about Odisha’s vision to promote swimming, he stated, “Odisha is committed to cultivating world-class swimmers who will shine at the Olympics, bringing global recognition to both the state and the nation. We are developing world-class infrastructure to support and nurture our athletes and will work closely with SFI and the State Association to take Indian swimming to new heights.”

The Minister also announced that the Odisha Government is constructing an Indoor Diving Pool at the Kalinga Stadium and another Indoor Swimming Pool complex with an Olympic-sized pool and a semi-Olympic-sized pool capable of hosting international events. Additionally, 20 new pools dedicated to grassroots coaching will be built across the state, benefiting thousands of young swimmers.

In the team championships, Karnataka dominated, securing the top position in both the Boys’ and Girls’ categories with 149 and 199 points, respectively. Maharashtra secured second place in the Girls’ category with 151 points, while Karnataka also took second place for the Boys with 148 points. Karnataka completed a sweep by securing the third positions in both categories, with 57 points in the Boys’ and 99 points in the Girls’ category, earning a total of 799 points to emerge as the overall champion.

The championship witnessed exceptional performances across various categories. In the Best Swimmer (Boys) category, Rishabh Anupam Das from Maharashtra clinched the top spot with 4 Gold and 1 Silver medal, followed by M. S. Nitheesh from Tamil Nadu with 4 Gold and 1 Silver, and Koijam Athobia Singh from Manipur with 4 Gold medals.

In the Best Swimmer (Girls) category, Prarishtha B Dangi from Maharashtra emerged victorious with 3 Gold and 1 Bronze medal, while Dhinidhi Desinghu from Karnataka claimed 5 Gold medals and Serena Saroha from Haryana secured 3 Gold and 2 Silver medals.