Mayumi Raheem wins first gold for Lanka in swimming

Reports of the 10th South Asian Games in Colombo yesterday were filed by Leslie Fernando and Ranjan Anandappa.

Breast stroke specialist Mayumi Raheem rose to the occasion to win the first gold medal for Sri Lanka in the swimming events of the 10th South Asian Games held at the Sugathadasa Stadium Pool yesterday. Principal sponsor is Sri Lanka Telecom.

Raheem won the gold in the 100 metres breast stroke the 2nd event on the opening day of swimming. She not only won the gold but set a new Games record in the heats as were in the final.

In the morning session in the heats Raheem erased off the previous meet clocking 1:16:95 secs. The earlier record was held by Zeba Wadia of India 1:19:90 secs in 1999.

At the finals Raheem blessed with a good and proper start in the 100 metres breast stroke had a comfortable lead in the first 50 metres from her closest rival Tejaswini Varadarju of India and maintained the lead with ease and won it in grand fashion improving her heats record and recording a 1:15:84 secs.

Indian swimmer Varadarju finished in second position 1:18:91 secs. She also bettered the existing record.

For Raheem who has been training in Singapore it was very commendable performance.

She also won silver in the 50 metres free style event returning a time of 28:87 secs. Lekha Kamath of India proved to be the fastest women swimmer in the pool winning the 50 metre free style 27.70 secs which was new games record.

Milinda Wickremasinghe (50 metres Butterfly) Miniruwani Samarakoon (200 metres Butterfly) and the 4x200 metre free style relay quartet. Heshan Unamboowe, Nilmini Arececularatne, Milinda Wickremasinghe and Daniel Lee won a Bronze Medal each.

Except Mayumi Raheem Gold Medal, Indian swimmers proved their class bagging six gold medals of the seven swimming events completed on day one.

400 Metres Free Style (Men): 1. Rehan Poncha (India) 4:05:94 secs, 2. Rohit Havaldar (India) 4:05:98 secs, 3. Ali Mahboob (Pakistan) 4:25:30 secs; 100 Metres Breast Stroke (Women) (New Games Record): 1. Mayumi Raheem (Sri Lanka) 1:15:84 secs, 2. Tejaswini Varadarju (India) 1:18:91 secs, 3. Mahfuza Khaton (Bangladesh) 1:20:90 secs.; 50 Metres Butterfly (Men): (New Games Record): 1. Virdhaval Khade (India) 25:97 secs, 2. Ahmad Jewel (Bangladesh) 26:60 secs, 3. Milinda Wickremasinghe (Sri Lanka) 26:89 secs.; 50 Metres Free Style (Women): 1. Lekha Kamath (India) 27:70 secs, 2. Mayumi Raheem (Sri Lanka) 28:87 secs, 3. Rubab Raza (Pakistan) 29:18 secs.; 200 Metres Breast Stroke (Men): (New Games Record); 1. Arjuna Jayaprakasah (India) 2:27:12 secs, 2. Sandeep Sejwal (India) 2:27:43 secs, 3. Niaz Ali (Bangladesh) 2:34:30 secs. 200 Metres Butterfly Stroke (Women): 1. Pooja Alva (India) 2:74;82 secs, 2. Madhan Giri (India) 2:26:07 secs, 3. Miniruwani Samarakoon (Sri Lanka) 2:40:81 secs. 4X200 Metres Free Style (Men): 1. India 8:07:56 secs, 2. Pakistan 8:18:82 secs, 3. Sri Lanka 8:23:26 secs.