Indians fail to go beyond heats in world swimming championship

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New Delhi, Mar 31 (UNI) Shipra Mahajan and Parita Parekh won their respective heats in women's 50m freestyle but failed to qualify for the next round as no Indian could advance in the semi-finals on the penultimate day of the World Swimming Championship in Melbourne today.

Parita won heat number five with a time of 28.69 sec while Mahajan clocked 29.22 sec to come first in heat number four, but they were placed 75th and 87th overall in a field of 136 swimmers to finish outside the semi-final bracket.

In men's 50m backstroke, Sandeep Nagar Anthal (28.50 sec) and Arjun Muralidharan (28.62 sec) stood third and seventh in their respective heats to finish 51st and 52nd in overall respectively, according to information received here today.

Earlier yesterday, Maharashtra swimming prodigy Virdhawal Khade finished second in his heat but failed to qualify for the semi-finals in the men's 50m freestyle.

Khade swam 24.06 sec to finish behind David Dunford of Kenya (23.35 sec) in heat number 15 but ended 42nd overall.

Another Indian Varun Divgikar clocked 24.53 in heat number 16 to finish sixth and 74th overall in the same event.

Fifteen-year-old Khade had earlier qualified for Beijing Olympics in 200m freestyle and later set a national record in 100m freestyle though he failed to make it in the semi- finals in both the events.

Khade was also part of Indian quartet in men's 4 X 200m freestyle which finished last in eight-team heat number four, clocking 8:01.49. The other members were Rehan Poncha, Ankur Poseria and Arjun Muralidharan.

In men's 100m butterfly, Poseria stood third in heat number nine with a time of 55.51 sec but finished 56th overall. In the same event, Muralidhran clocked 57.46 sec to finish seventh in heat number eight and 75th overall.

In women's 50m butterfly, Parita finished second in heat number three, clocking 32.07 but stood 76th overall.

In the last day of the competition tomorrow, Poncha will take part in men's 400m individual medley heat, while Madhavi Giri will compete in women's 400m individual medley heat.

Indian team will also feature in men's 4 X 100m medley relay heat.

UNI