Richa staves off Shrungi’s challenge in women’s 400m medley

Seasoned swimmer Richa Mishra pushed herself to the women’s 400m medley title in the National aquatic championships at the Dr. Zakir Hussain Aquatic Complex here on Wednesday.

The 39-year-old Richa, who bagged the 200m medley bronze on day one, clocked 5:12.48 to beat Khelo India University Games gold medallist Shrungi Bandekar by 0.07 second and claim her second medal.

After leading the race, Richa was challenged by Shrungi in the closing stages. But the policewoman displayed her grit to take the yellow metal.

Richa Mishra (Police) on way to the gold in the 400m medley at the 75 senior National aquatic championship in Guwahati on Wednesday, 07, September 2022. (Source: RITU RAJ KONWAR)

“I was not expecting to win a medal this time. It feels good. I am a fitness freak and swimming helps me,” said Richa.

“I took part in the National Games in 1997 with a hope to get a washing machine (as the winner was awarded by the sponsor Videocon) for my mother. Now I am going to participate in my sixth National Games,” she added.

Olympian Maana Patel won the 200m backstroke comfortably with a time of 2:20.09.

In diving, Hrutika Shriram did a double of women’s platform and 3m springboard titles.

World championships participant Siddharth Pardesi took the gold medal in the men’s platform event.

The results: Men: 50m freestyle: 1. Pavan Gupta (RSPB) 23.43, 2. Rudrash Manoj Mishra (SSCB) 23.52, 3. Nimish Muley (SSCB) 23.85; 1500 freestyle: 1. Aneesh Gowda (Kar) 16:08.84, 2. Sushrut Kapse (RSPB) 16:34.66, 3. Arurag Singh (UP) 16:40.31; 200m backstroke: 1. Utkarsh Patil (Kar) 2:04.61, 2. Siva S. (Kar) 2:04.75, Tanmay Das (RSPB) 2:08.44; 4x100m relay: 1. SSCB 3:29.88, 2. Tamil Nadu 3:30.99, 3. Karnataka 3:31.56.

Women: 200m backstroke: 1. Maana Patel (Guj) 2:20.09, 2. Palak Joshi (Mah) 2:25.16, 3. Pratishtha Dangi (Mah) 2:27.10; 400m medley: 1. Richa Mishra (AIP) 5:12.48, 2. Shrungi Bandekar (Goa) 5:12.55, 3. Disha Bhandari (UP) 5:14.51; 4x100m freestyle: 1. Karnataka 4:03.73, 2. Maharashtra 4:07.76, 3. Tamil Nadu 4:16.06.

Diving: Men: Platform: 1. Siddharth Pardesi (SSCB) 339.20, 2. Sourav Debnath (SSCB) 301.65, 3. Prakhar Joshi (MP) 217.60.

Women: Platform: 1. Hrutika Shriram (RSPB) 176.65, 2. Esha Waghmode (Mah) 163.75, 3. Palak Sharma (MP) 146.75; 3m springboard: 1. Hrutika 170.35, 2. Palak 154.45, 3. Medhali Redkar (Mah) 136.35.