Mumbai : Five-year-olds Arya Chavan and Fateh Singh emerged under-6 individual champions to share the honours, in the 44th Bombay YMCA Inter Club Aquatic Championship, at the YMCA Swimming Pool, Mumbai Central.
The tiny tots were the unlikely stars who announced their arrival on the circuit with sensational performances that captured hearts of the jam packed complex. Representing Bombay YMCA, Byculla girl Arya, won three gold and a silver, while Singh of Goregaon Sports Club won four gold, which earned the duo their respective individual championship titles.
Arya, grand-daughter of Congress leader Madhu Chavan, helped herself to the 25m freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke gold, and added the butterfly silver. Arya dominated her age category as she shrugged off the challenge of Khushi Maru of Vibgyor and Dhrutti Shroff of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, in an intense battle for supremacy. “I wanted to win the butterfly gold as well,” said Arya.
Fateh Singh was unstoppable as he won the 25m freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly gold in a scintillating winning streak, while staving off the challenge of Vibgyor duo Aarush Arekar and Vidan Gupta and Divit Seth of Matunga Gymkhana. Arya’s and Fateh’s outstaning performances dwarfed yet another sparkling effort of Ronak Sawant of Police Swimming Pool who won the 50m freestyle, backstroke and butterfly gold and the breaststroke silver that earned him under-10 individual crown.
Results: Girls U-6: 25m freestyle: 1. Arya Chavan (Bombay YMCA), 2. Khushi Maru (Vibgyor High), 3. Dhrutti Shroff (CSMSS). 25m breaststroke: 1. Arya Chavan (Bombay YMCA), 2. Khushi Maru (Vibgyor High), 3. Dhrutti Shroff (CSMSS). 25m backstroke: 1. Arya Chavan (Bombay YMCA), 2. Khushi Maru (Vibgyor High), 3. Dhrutti Shroff (CSMSS). 25m butterfly: 1. Dhrutti Shroff, 2. Arya Chavan, 3. Khushi Maru.
Boys U-6: 25m freestyle: 1. Fateh Singh (Goregaon SC), 2. Aarush Arekar (Vibgyor), 3. Rituj V. (Goregaon SC). 25m breaststroke: 1. Fateh Singh, 2. Aarush Arekar, 3. Vidan Gupta (Vibgyor). 25m backstroke: 1. Fateh Singh, 2. Aarush Arekar, 3. Divit Seth (Matunga Gym). 25m butterfly: 1. Fateh Singh, 2. Aarush Arekar, 3. Vidan Gupta.
Boys U-10: 50m freestyle: 1. Ronak Sawant (Police SP), 2. Ashwin Jaiswar (Police SP), 3. Rishabh Asudani (Glenmark). 50m backstroke: 1. Ronak Sawant, 2. Rishabh Asudani, 3. Spandan Yeole (Ozone). 50m butterfly: 1. Ronak Sawant, 2. Rishabh Asudani, 3. Priyansh Jain (Khar Gym). 50m breaststroke: 1. Sagar Malandkar (Forest Club), 2. Ronak Sawant, 3. Ashwin Jaiswar.
