Rohit sets India best time en route 100m butterfly gold

Armed with his new-found mental strength, B. Benediction Rohit set a India best time on his way to claim the men's 100m butterfly gold on the opening day of the National aquatics championships at the Kalinga Stadium Aquatic Centre here on Sunday.
Rohit, who was born with a broken right thigh bone and took to swimming for physical fitness, clocked 52.50 to achieve his target of erasing Virdhawal Khade's India best mark of 52.79 and co-competitor Sajan Prakash's four-year-old meet record of 53.24. Sajan finished second with 53.51.
'I focused on my own race. Overthinking and the pressure of competition affected my performance in the past. My coach Nihar Ameen worked more on the mental side of my game,' said Rohit, who timed 54.4 in the last edition and 53.8 in the National Games, about his steady progress.
Even as she missed the meet record by 0.37 second, Harshitha Jayram lowered her personal best by nearly three seconds to time 2:37.72 and clinch the women's 200m breaststroke gold.
Bhavya Sachdeva overcame a forgettable performance a year ago to match her personal best (4:26.66) for the 400m freestyle crown.
Home favourite Shristi Upadhaya and Astha Choudhury clocked an identical 1:03.50 to share the 100m butterfly gold. Paris Olympian Dhinidhi Desinghu took the bronze with 1:03.52.
Karnataka, comprising Vihitha Nayana Loganathan, Meenakshi Menon, Trisha Sindhu S. and Dhinidhi, won the women's 4x200m freestyle relay title with a new meet record.
The results (winners only): Men: 200m freestyle: Aneesh Gowda (Kar) 1:50.85; 200m breaststroke: Danush Suresh (TN) 2:19.17; 100m butterfly: B. Benediction Rohit (TN) 52.57 (NMR, Old 53.24, Sajan Prakash, 2021); 4x200m freestyle relay: Karnataka 7:40.90.
Women: 400m freestyle: Bhavya Sachdeva (Del) 4:26.66; 200m breaststroke: Harshitha Jayaram (RSPB) 2:37.72; 100m butterfly: Shristi Upadhaya (Odi) and Astha Choudhury (RSPB) 1:03.50; 4x200m freestyle relay: Karnataka 8:52.32 (NMR, Old 8:53.83, Maharashtra, 2012).

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