City lad clinches gold in aquatic c’ship

Anil Datt

Ludhiana, June 27

City lad Akashdeep Singh gave another excellent performance to clinch top honours in the ongoing 35th edition of the Sub-Junior and the 45th Junior National Aquatic Championship in Pune on Wednesday.

After securing two silver medals (50-m back stroke and 100-m back stroke events), Akashdeep stamped his authority in the back stroke event after he finished well before others to wrap up the gold medal in the 200-m event in the boy’s group II.

Akashdeep clocked 2:12.09 minutes to pip his immediate opponents. He, however, missed the national record of 2:11.97 minutes which was created last year by Aaryan Bhosale of Maharashtra.

The silver medal winner took 2:15.31 minutes while the bronze medalist took 2:18.86 minutes.

Akashdeep is currently studying in the UAE where his father runs a business. He took coaching from Pardeep Kumar, national coach and a Dronachariya awardee, during his stay in Ludhiana.

Akashdeep has been performing consistently in the state championship for the last couple of years. In the recently held Junior Punjab Swimming and Water-Polo Championship held in Jalandhar, he bagged five gold medals besides one bronze medal.

Meanwhile, another swimmer from Punjab, Jasnoor Kaur, finished at the victory podium in Pune.