Indian swimmer Srihari Nataraj continues to make waves in the international swimming circuit with his latest achievement being a silver medal win at the 30th Mare Nostrum swimming tour held in Canet-en-Roussillon, France. Competing in the 50m backstroke event, Nataraj clocked an impressive 25.50 seconds, finishing just behind Hungary’s Adam Jaszo, who touched the pad at 25.46 seconds.
Srihari Nataraj’s consistency at global events
This performance is particularly noteworthy considering Nataraj’s journey so far. Having competed at the Tokyo Olympics, he has been consistently improving his performance. His personal best in the 50m backstroke event stands at 25.11 seconds, indicating that he is not far off from his top form.
However, it’s important to note that the 50m backstroke is a non-Olympic event. As of now, no Indian swimmer has made the cut for the Paris Olympics. This presents a challenge for Nataraj and his peers, who will be vying for a spot in the upcoming global event.
In 2021, Nataraj, along with Sajan Prakash, made history by becoming the first two Indian swimmers to achieve the ‘A’ qualification mark for the Tokyo Olympics. This achievement underscores the potential that Nataraj holds and the expectations that rest on his young shoulders.
🏊♂️Proud moment for 🇮🇳 at the Mare Nostrum Swim Tour! #TOPSchemeAthlete Srihari Nataraj bags🥈in the Men's 50m Backstroke Final A with an timing of 00:25.50! 🌊#Swimming@srihari3529 pic.twitter.com/eXwU4y0ueW
— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) May 25, 2024
Nataraj’s recent form has been encouraging. Earlier this year, he created a national record at the Asian Age Group Swimming Championships. As part of the 4x200m Freestyle Relay Team, also featuring Aneesh Gowda and Aryan Nehra, Nataraj clocked the ‘Best India Time’ of 7:26.64 and claimed a gold medal.
The Mare Nostrum Tour is a nine-day competition conducted across three cities – Monaco, Barcelona, and Canet.
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