Bengalis' lost glory will return to the national level through fin swimming: Dronacharya Tapan Panigrahi
Sanchita Chatterjee, BS News Agency, Kolkata: The swimming world of the eighties and nineties was the last word in Bengalis' excitement. In terms of time, those golden days are now very gray. Even though the Indian team is selected in foreign soil, Bengalis cannot be found. However, Dronacharya swimming coach Dr. Tapan Panigrahi is of the opinion that that lost glory will return once again. However, the swimming method is a little different, it is underwater sports whose dress code is fin swimming. In which event, the Bengal team, the last four-time national champion in the senior category. Dronacharya, the only Bengali in swimming, said this while coming to the recently concluded fifth state fin swimming championship. The championship was held at the Laketown swimming pool in Tilottama for the last two days. Around 470 athletes from 15 districts across the state participated in the junior, senior and masters categories in surface, bifin and freestyle.
In terms of individual medals, among the girls, Aheli Saha from Kolkata and Jayashree
Mahato from Howrah won the maximum three gold medals each. Aheli's events were 50m and 100m surface and 50m bifin. Jayashree's events were 200m, 400m and 800m bifin. On the other hand, among the boys, Samrat Mishra from Hooghly won three medals, including 1 gold and 2 silver. Samrat's events were 100m surface and 200m and 400m bifin. In terms of team medals, North 24 Parganas topped the medal tally, with 268 points and a total of 92 medals in their collection. Of which, 29 gold, 30 silver and 33 bronze. Kolkata is in second place, with 171 points and 53 medals, including 19 gold, 21 silver and 13 bronze. Howrah is in third place with 43 medals, including 15 gold, 12 silver and 16 bronze. (Until 6 pm)
The team will be selected for the national championship to be held in Lucknow (probably) in November from the just-concluded state championship. The first, second and third place winners from each category will be given a place in the Bengal team, said Konkan Panigrahi, secretary of the Underwater Sports Association of Bengal. Konkan also said that the road is getting much wider in the coming days for fin swimmers to get jobs in the sports quota. Especially in the life saving and disaster management groups, the acceptance and priority of fin swimmers is being increased. State Fire Service Minister Sujit Basu and Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor Debashish Kumar were present at the inaugural ceremony. The closing ceremony was attended by State President of Physical Education Foundation of India Dr. Sudarshan Biswas and Ashok Nag, son of legendary swimmer Sachin Nag.