On the first day of the two-day district swimming championship that kicked off at the swimming pool of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) on Saturday, Anmol Jindal and Jasleen Kaur emerged victorious in the 1,500-metre freestyle and in the 200-metre backstroke, Varun Sharma and Jayanna clinched top positions in men and women categories, respectively.
Swimmers born in or after 2015 were included in group-IV, those born in 2013-14 in group- III, the ones born in 2010, 2011 and 2012 in group-II and 2007, 2008 and 2009 in group-I. All these were eligible to take part in the sub-junior and junior contests, whereas it was open for men and women to participate in the seniors.
Ludhiana Jewellers Association secretary Manoj Dhanda was the chief guest on the first day of the championship.
Balraj Sharma, honorary general secretary of the association, informed that 156 events have been organised during the two-day championship and 85 male swimmers, and 50 female swimmers participated under all three categories in the morning and evening sessions. “Swimmers contested in 44 events during the morning session and 40 events in the evening session. The remaining 72 events would be conducted on Sunday,” he added.
District Swimming Association president Apinder Singh Grewal, GST commissioner intelligence Vishal Chaudhry IRS, along with other office bearers, attended the opening ceremony and presented medals to the winners. The evening session was attended by veteran national medallist Meera Sood, who encouraged the young swimmers and also presented medals to the winners of the events conducted during the evening session.