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The Hindu
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Why is Srihari Nataraj's gold-winning effort in 200m freestyle not classified as National Record?
Srihari Nataraj won the gold medal in 200m men's freestyle at the Singapore National Swimming Championship on Sunday. The 24-year-old, who represented India at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, clocked 1:48:66s at the Singapore Sports School. This time was faster than the existing National Record which was set by Sajan Prakash in 2018. However, Srihari will not be credited with the NR with his performance. What is the difference between National Record and Best Indian Performance in swimming? Srihari's timing in Singapore was fast enough to earn it the 'Best Indian Time' or the 'Best Indian Performance. But, despite it being quicker than Sajan's existing National Record in 200m freestyle (1:50.35s), which was set in 2018, Srihari will not be the holder of a new NR. Why? Because the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) doesn't count the timings in overseas events for National Records. According to SFI senior vice-president Virendra Nanavati, a timing will only be considered as a National Record if its set in the National Aquatics Championships organised by SFI. This can happen in three age categories: sub-junior, junior, and senior. If an Indian swimmer does well in any other internationally-recognised event, even if it is the Olympics or the Asian Games, their timings will be called as a 'Best Indian Performance'.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Srihari Nataraj sets best Indian time in 200m freestyle at Singapore Nationals
Olympian Srihari Nataraj delivered a standout performance at the 20th Singapore National Swimming Championships, setting the Best Indian Time in the men's 200m freestyle to secure the gold medal. Competing at the Singapore Sports School on Sunday, the 24-year-old clocked an impressive 1:48.66, eclipsing the previous best mark of 1:49.73 held by Sajan Prakash since 2021. Nataraj, primarily known for his expertise in the 100m backstroke, also claimed a silver medal in the 100m freestyle earlier in the meet, showcasing his versatility in sprint events. Although his 200m freestyle time does not officially count as a national record — since national records in swimming are only recognized when set at the National Aquatics Championships — it still stands as the fastest-ever time recorded by an Indian in the event at any competition. Nataraj, who has represented India at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, continues to build strong momentum in the lead-up to future international competitions.
Straits Times
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Former pentathlete Shermaine Tung switches to kayaking for one last shot at glory
Shermaine Tung rediscovered her passion for canoeing while recovering from an injury. PHOTO: TEAM NILA Former pentathlete Shermaine Tung switches to kayaking for one last shot at glory SINGAPORE – Over the course of her 18-year sporting journey, Shermaine Tung has trained and competed in shooting, kayaking and pentathlon, which comprises five events – fencing, swimming, shooting, running and equestrian show jumping. With the clock ticking as she enters the twilight of her career, the 30-year-old former national pentathlete is aiming for one last shot at sporting glory as she returns to the kayak. The unexpected move happened in 2022, after she broke her back from falling off a horse. Feeling restless as she recovered from surgery, the break gave her room to rediscover her aptitude and love for kayaking. She said: 'I had to undergo back surgery and because of that, I actually had to stop horse riding entirely… It was quite a bad fall. 'When I was resting, I tried to give canoeing a go again, purely just for leisure. Then the current head coach told me to give it a shot, at competitive canoeing (kayaking). So I decided, why not? 'I came back purely because I love the sport.' Tung's sporting career began at the Singapore Sports School in 2007, when she trained and competed in shooting. Ahead of the inaugural 2010 Youth Olympic Games, she took up modern pentathlon and despite not meeting the Games' age requirement, she continued training before moving on to kayaking in Singapore Polytechnic, which did not offer shooting or pentathlon. After graduating from university and hitting a plateau in kayaking, she returned to pentathlon and donned national colours, winning a bronze medal at the 2019 UIPM Biathle-Triathle World Championships in the United States. That same year, she won bronze at the SEA Games in the Philippines. Tung eventually quit the sport after the world championships in December 2023. Shermaine Tung is seen competing in shooting during her stint as a national pentathlete, PHOTO: UPIM WORLD PENTATHLON 'When I left pentathlon, I initially thought that I would stop competitive sports altogether, I just wanted to chill, keep fit, paddle for fun and not gain weight,' said Tung. 'But then I think I missed the competitiveness, and that was what made me try competitive sports again. I'll just give it all that I have to qualify for the SEA Games (in December) and ultimately the Asian Games next year. 'There's a lot of work to be done, because compared to my peers, I'm still quite far behind, and they are younger, so definitely they're improving at a much faster rate.' For this versatile athlete, choosing a preferred sport can be a challenge. Tung admitted that she misses the multi-discipline pentathlon sometimes, adding: 'I like running in general… And shooting, it's my strongest discipline out of all the five. 'But then training for five disciplines is actually quite hard when you're juggling a full-time job and furthermore, I was training alone, so that was really one of the main reasons why I left. 'I was quite tempted (to return) a few months ago, when they had the trials for the SEA Games. But it just so happened that it clashed with a canoeing trial and I really had to pick one.' With her focus now on kayaking, Tung quit her job as a marketing executive with Singapore Singapore's CoachSG department to train full time. She is now living off her savings and hopes to be carded as a national athlete again to 'to pour all my efforts and time into this one last shot that I have'. Noting that Tung had 'already quite good competency in the sport', national canoe coach Bill Lee, 39 said: 'As with every Olympic sport, especially our sport, which is a bit like swimming, both technical and also requires a lot of strength and endurance… It definitely requires time for you to see the hard work pay off. 'She may see it as one last effort, but she could surprise herself. It could potentially be even longer than just a short-term project, because she could achieve more in the sport and that could keep her going.' Tung recently competed in the Asian Canoeing Championships in China, and is pencilled in for the South-east Asian Canoeing Championships in Thailand in June. The SEA Games selection trial will be held a month later. While there are only four spots up for grabs for the Games in December, she said: 'Once I set my mind to go back to competitive sports, it's really my goal to achieve sport excellence in terms of winning medals. 'Because if I don't have the end goal in mind of winning, it will make it challenging to actually stay in sports because of how vigorous the training is and how taxing it is on the body and the mind. 'Yeah, so I have to really be mentally prepared that if I want to win, I have to go through this.' Melvyn Teoh is a sports journalist at The Straits Times. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
07-05-2025
- Science
- Straits Times
‘Utterly disappointed': Eta Aquarids meteor shower fizzles over Singapore
Lianhe Zaobao photojournalist Jason Lee said he saw only one meteor over 3½ hours. LIANHE ZAOBAO PHOTO: JASON LEE SINGAPORE – Hopes for a celestial spectacle were running high, but skywatchers across Singapore were left largely disappointed during the peak of the Eta Aquarids meteor shower in the early hours of May 6 and 7 , with several reporting spotting just one meteor over a number of hours. This particular meteor shower occurs annually when the Earth passes through debris left behind by Halley's Comet – arguably the most famous comet in history, known for being visible with the naked eye roughly every 76 years. The meteor shower is typically more visible in the Southern Hemisphere, where observers may catch up to 50 meteors an hour under ideal conditions. In Singapore, however, clear skies offered little payoff. In the early hours of May 6, Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao photojournalist Jason Lee , who was on assignment at Champions Green – a housing estate near Singapore Sports School in Woodlands – said he saw only one meteor over 3½ hours. Speaking with The Straits Times, the photojournalist said: 'It didn't feel worth the wait.' He added that the meteor 'looked quite different from what one would normally expect a meteor to be'. A netizen, who goes by 'M ycandidphotoshot Gates ' on Facebook, said in a post that he had tried his luck at one of the least illuminated areas in Singapore – Changi Beach Park – in the early hours of May 6. 'Skies were mostly clear. I spotted one meteor with a light trail that lasted about two seconds while setting up my camera,' he wrote. 'I was stoked and thought more would follow. I was wrong.' He added that he spent the next four hours scanning the sky in vain, even double-checking the coordinates. 'It was supposed to be more active in the south-east. Utterly disappointed,' he said. In response to previous queries regarding visibility of cosmic events from Singapore, the Science Centre Singapore observatory said that light pollution, erratic weather and frequent cloud cover can all impact the chances of observing cosmic events from the island. 'Meteor showers are relatively faint, and dark, clear skies are required to view them,' the observatory added, noting that visibility also depends on the nature of the specific cosmic event. Meanwhile, overseas enthusiasts had better luck. Social media was filled with vivid photos and videos from countries with darker skies and better visibility, showing bright streaks lighting up the early morning heavens. The Eta Aquarids will continue until late May, but given the poor visibility even during its peak, further sightings in Singapore are unlikely. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
