New Delhi: Karnataka swimmers Srihari Nataraj and Dhinidhi Desinghu took the National Games 2025 by storm with their impressive performances. The two swimmers ended their campaigns with nine gold medals each while winning a whopping 21 medals between them in total. Both Nataraj and Desinguu represented India at the Paris Olympics last year where they failed to bag a medal in their respective events.
However, the two displayed some brilliant form for Karnataka in the National Games 2025 as they helped their state dominate the proceedings in swimming with 22 gold medals from the pool. 14-year-old Desinghu, who was India’s youngest Olympian at the Paris Games last year, won a gold medal in the women’s 100m freestyle event with a Games record time of 57.34 seconds on Tuesday, February 04.
She bettered her own record which was set at the National Games in Goa in 2023. Nataraj won a gold medal in the men’s 100m freestyle event with a timing of 50.65 seconds. The dup later combined to help Karnataka win the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley with a timing of 4 minutes and 3.91 seconds to finish with 9 gold medals apiece.
Before Tuesday, Desinghu won seven gold medals at the National Games 2025 in 400m freestyle, mixed 4x100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 4x100m freestyle relay, 50m freestyle and 4x200m freestyle relay. She also won a silver medal in women’s 50m butterfly and a bronze in 4x100m medley.
On the other hand, Nataraj won gold medals in 50m backstroke, mixed 4x100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle relay, 4x100m freestyle relay medley, 4x200m freestyle relay and 100m backstroke before making it nine gold medals on Tuesday. Nataraj also won a silver medal in men’s 50m freestyle. However, he finished behind Desinghu (11) in terms of overall medals by winning 10 medals in the competition.
Desinghu, Nataraj likely to become best female and male athletes at the National Games 2025
Thanks to their heroics for Karnataka, swimmers Desinghu and Nataraj might become the best female and male athletes at the National Games 2025, respectively. Nataraj will be crowned the best male athlete for the second time if manages to claim the title this year as he won the accolade in the 2023 edition of the National Games where he won a total of 10 medals, including 8 gold.
In total Karnataka won a staggering 37 medals in swimming at the National Games 2025, including 22 gold. Maharashtra finished a distant second with 28 medals but managed only 5 gold.
Swimmers Srihari Nataraj and Dhinidhi Desinghu ended their campaigns with nine gold medals each for Karnataka at the National Games 2025. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
