'A medal would have been great but I was very proud of myself that I could make it happen. 2018 was the fastest year of my life, I got my best time in 50m freestyle and butterfly. I was pretty fast in the 100m freestyle as well. But not having a medal made me a better and tougher person.'
'If our swimmers have to go to Olympic qualifying events next year and have a fair chance of improving their timings, they need to get back to the pool soon'.
Virdhawal Khade won the 100m freestyle final on Thursday, breaking his own Games record that was created in the heats., but had to settle for silver in the 100m butterfly.
Indian swimmers Virdhawal Khade and Sandeep Sejwal created a splash at the seventh Singapore Open Championships, sharing four gold, a silver and three bronze medals among themselves.
The SFI said Khade, who works as a Tehsildar with Maharashtra government, was awaiting permission of leave from his employer.
Indian swimmers Virdhawal Khade and Sandeep Sejwal won eight medals including four golds, between them at the seventh Singapore Open Swimming Championships on Saturday.
India's biggest hope in swimming, Virdhawal Khade feels the country will deliver a good Commonwealth Games despite the controversy-marred build-up to the event.
Virdhawal Khade scripted history on Tuesday as he became the first Indian swimmer in 24 years to clinch an Asian Games medal by notching up a bronze in the 50m butterfly event in Guangzhou.
Indian swimming sensation Virdhawal Khade set a new Commonwealth Youth Games record in the 50m freestyle en route to the gold on Friday. Apart from Khade's gold, India also earned a bronze, courtesy Aaron D'Souza in the 200m butterfly.
Olympian Virdhawal Khade on Saturday won a bronze in men's 50m freestyle to end his Asian Swimming Championships campaign in China with four medals.
Images from day four of the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, on Tuesday.
Virdhawal Khade was once again the lone Indian swimmer to create a splash in the pool, qualifying for the men's 50m butterfly event even as the rest of his compatriots continued to disappoint at the Asian Games in Guangzhou on Tuesday.
Virdhawal Khade was the lone Indian swimmer who made an impression by making the cut for the 50m freestyle finals while the rest fell by the wayside in the qualifying stages of their respective events in the Asian Games in Guangzhou on Monday.
Asian Games bronze medallist Virdhawal Khade on Thursday said Indian swimmers need modern training facilities and adequate foreign exposure to fetch more medals at international events.
Karnataka swimming coach Nihar Ameen hit out at the organisers of the 34th National Games, saying top athletes were missing due to the wrong timing of the multi-sporting event following several postponements.
After ending India's 24-year-old medal drought in the pool at the Asian Games, teen swimming sensation Virdhawal Khade topped his 100m freestyle heats but the effort was not good enough to fetch a place in the finals of the event, in Guangzhou, on Wednesday.
Virdhawal Khade narrowly missed out on a medal and ended up fourth in the 50m freestyle event just 0.03 seconds behind the eventual bronze-medallist on yet another disappointing day for Indian swimmers at the Asian Games in Guangzhou on Monday.
A day after winning the gold in the 50 metre freestyle category, India's Virdhawal Khade on Monday swam to a silver medal in the 50m butterfly event at the International Schwimmfest in Darmstadt, Germany.
Swimming sensation Virdhawal Khade will be the flag bearer of the Indian contingent during the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Youth Games.
Virdhawal Khade's campaign in the 200 metres freestyle sunk without a trace at the Water Cube. The Kolhapur boy clocked 1:51.86 seconds and finished seventh in the eight-man Heat 4 and overall 48th on the chart.
In a sport which rarely gives India any highs to talk about in any given year, 19-year-old Virdhawal Khade produced a performance to remember by ending Indian swimming's 24-year-old medal drought in the Asian Games, holding out promise for a better future.
Asian Games bronze medalist Virdhawal Khade and Richa Mishra shattered two meet records each as Maharashtra clinched three gold while Delhi bagged two in the swimming competition on day one of the 34th National Games in Ranchi on Sunday.
India's Virdhawal Khade marginally bettered his long-standing National record to get closer to a second Asian Games medal as he qualified for the men's 50 metres freestyle final, clocking 22.43s, which was third fastest time in the heats, in Jakarta, on Tuesday.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Monday
"The Dubai camp is for Olympic B qualifiers who are in India and currently unable to train," Swimming Federation of India secretary-general Monal Chokshi told Reuters.
A look at India's performance on day three of the 2010 Asian Games, on Monday.
Srihari finishes 6th, Likith and men's 4x200m freestyle team 7th.
The ace Indian doubles duo of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi take on Roger Federer/Stanislas Wawrinka in the men's doubles quarter-finals.
The 23rd Vasai Taluka Kala Krida Mahotsav 2012 was a huge success with over 45,000 participants and an encouraging audience turning up. The event, staged to encourage up-and-coming talent, featured sport, culture and literature.
India has been granted an Olympic berth in swimming with the world body FINA springing a surprise by choosing Karnataka swimmer Gagan AP Ulalmath in the men's 1,500m freestyle.
Richa Mishra was again the day's star performer as five records were shattered in the pool in the 34th National Games in Ranchi on Tuesday. The Delhi girl picked two gold medals with record timings to make it six in sum by the end of day three. However, she had to settle for second place, behind Goa's Talasha Prabhu, in the sprint event.
Following is the schedule of Indian contingent on Day 7 of the Asian Games:
Following is the schedule of Indian contingent on the fifth day of the Asian Games.
Sandeep Sejwal gave India's floundering swimming campaign a massive fillip by fetching a rare bronze medal in the 50m breaststroke of the Asian Games on Friday. The 25-year-old topped his heat, clocking 28.25 seconds, before holding on to third place in the final with a timing of 28.26s.
India swimmer Srihari Natraj officially booked himself a Tokyo Olympics berth on Wednesday after the sport's world governing body FINA approved his 'A' standard qualification time in the men's 100m backstroke time trial at the Sette Colli Trophy in Rome.
A summary of India's results on Day 5 of 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.
Check out India's schedule on Day 5 of the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, on Monday.
'To win a medal at the Olympics you need 12 to 15 Virdhawals and Sejwals.' 'We lack a swimming culture.' 'Countries like the US, Australia, France and China are powerhouses, with access to the best facilities.'
The duo will hope to make the cut in an Olympic qualifying event in Rome later this week.
Only the fourth Indian to clinch a swimming medal in the Asian Games, Sandeep Sejwal said his bronze in the 50m breaststroke event is a dream realised after eight years of hard work with his coach Nihar Ameen.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances