Taranath Shenoy, Sukhit Kaur lead Maharashtra's gold haul

Mumbai, Dec 30 (UNI) Padmashree Taranath Shenoy and Sukhjit Kaur were the star performers as Maharashtra had a field day with as many as 11 record-breaking efforts -- seven in men and four in women -- on the second and final day of the Senate Royale National Masters Swimming Championship, held at Andheri Sports Complex here today.

Shenoy, who is a visually impaired swimmer, was awarded Padmashree in 1990 and has also earned a spate of honours in his long swimming career, which includes the prestigious Arjuna Award, National Award in 19887, Railway Week Award in 1984 and Shiv Chhatrapati Award of the Government of Maharashtra in 1983.

And the manner in which he won the men's 400m freestyle event in the 45-49 age groups in a record-breaking time of 6:03.36 seconds, showed his fitness and class in abundance. In the process, he broke the 2004 record of Varghese M of Karnataka by more than three seconds.

On Saturday, too, he had broken the 200m freestyle record of Services' Balram Singh's 2006 (2:50.76) with a timing of 2:46.15 secs.

Sharing the day's glory with Taranath, was another Maharashtra swimmer, Sukjit Kaur. Apart from winning the freestyle 100m, 200m, 50m in record-breaking timing, she ended in all with six golds, which included two in medley and freestyle relays.

Results: Women: (30-34): 50m backstroke: Sukhjit Kaur (Maha) 00:42.00.

100m (35-39) Breast stroke: Sayali Thosar (Maha) 01:47.83.

50m Butterfly: Nandita Kapoor (Karnataka) 00:49.00.

400m Freestyle: Nandita Kapoor 08:34.00.

(40-44): 50m Backstroke: Rani Anisa Appukutan (TN) 00:45.62.

100m Breast stroke: Shiney Varghese (TN) 01:58.88.

50m Butterfly stroke: Anya Saini (Karnataka) 00:50.99.

400m Frestyle: Avanti Biniwale (Maha) 07:14.44.

(50-54): 400m Freestyle: Bhagyarekha Plainfield (Maha) 09:20.90 Men (45-49): 100m Breast stroke: Vikram Batham (MP) 01:298.00.

400m: freestyle: Taranath Shenoy (Maha) 06:03.36.

(50-54): 50m Backstroke: S D Singh (Services) 00:37.18.

50m Freestyle: Hemant Katakkar (Maha) 00:30,02.

(55-59): 400m Freestyle: Gopal Adiga (Karnataka) 06:32.31.

UNI