Karnataka swimmers Srihari Nataraj and Dhinidhi Desinghu matched one other in their fierce rivalry as the southern state picked up five gold medals from the pool to leapfrog to the top of the medal tally in the National Games on Monday.
At the swimming pool in Haldwani, Nataraj and Desinghu continued their fierce rivalry, both clinching their seventh gold medal to stay on course to becoming the best male and female athletes, respectively, of the Games.
With five gold medals from the pool, Karnataka leapfrogged Services to return to the top spot with 42 medals (22 gold, 10 silver, 10 bronze). The southern state was also on top of the medal tally on the first two days of competition.
Services are at second spot with 38 medals (19 gold, 10 silver, 9 bronze), followed by Maharashtra (15 gold, 26 silver, 20 bronze) and Manipur (11 gold, 10 silver, 5 bronze).
Desinghu, the 14-year-old swimming sensation, came first in the women's 400m freestyle with a new Games record of 4 minutes and 24.60 seconds and then formed the quartet with Nataraj, Akash Mani and Nina Venkatesh to win gold in mixed 4x100m freestyle with a time of 3 minutes and 41.03 seconds.
"I started swimming at the age of seven to make friends... Setting a Games record is a proud moment for me, and I hope to continue improving," Desinghu said.
The 24-year-old Nataraj, also a Paris Olympian like Desinghu, grabbed his second gold of the day in the men's 50m backstroke with a time of 26.09 seconds.
With the two gold on Monday, Desinghu has won nine medals so far in the Games, having earlier won five gold (200m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 4x100m freestyle relay and 50m freestyle and 4x200m freestyle relay), one silver (50m butterfly) and one bronze -- (4x100m relay medley).
For Nataraj, Monday's two gold took him to eight medals in total in the ongoing Games. He has earlier won five gold -- 200m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle relay, 4x100m freestyle relay medley, 4x200m freestyle relay and 100m backstroke -- and a silver -- 50m freestyle.
Nataraj and Desinghu would be strong contenders to win the best male and female athletes of the Games award. Nataraj had won the accolade in the 2023 edition of the Games in Goa with eight gold, one silver and one bronze.
In the 2022 edition in Gujarat, Nataraj was beaten by Sajan Prakash (who won the accolade in 2015 also) for the honour despite winning eight medals, including two gold.
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