Senior National Aquatic Championship begins in Hyderabad on July 2

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 2 (ANI): India’s Senior National Aquatic Championship 2023 is scheduled to start at the GMC Balayogi Sports Complex in Hyderabad on Sunday.

The national swimming championships, now in its 76th edition, will see men’s and women’s competitions in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and individual medley. Freestyle, medley and mixed team relays are also part of the programme.

The swimming nationals have also been approved as a qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympics by World Aquatics.

Indian swimmers will have their last chance for qualifying in the Asian Games 2023, which will be held in Hangzhou, China later this year.

India’s swimming national record holders Sajan Prakash and Srihari Nataraj created history when they became the first Indian swimmers to qualify directly for the Tokyo Olympics.

Sajan Prakash competed in the men’s 100m and 200m butterfly while Srihari Nataraj competed in the men’s 100m backstroke. Maana Patel also joined the two through Universality quota in women’s 100m backstroke as India fielded three swimmers at Tokyo 2020 – the most at any Games.

The period to achieve qualification standards for individual swimming events at the Paris 2024 Olympics began in March and will conclude on June 23, 2024.