Trainees of Bhubaneswar-based Odisha-Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) Swimming High Performance Centre (HPC) capped the year 2024 on a highly successful note, reaping a rich harvest of 32 medals at the KZN Premier Provincial Championships, held in Pretoria, South Africa from 17 to 21 December 2024. The 32 medals featured 10 gold, 7 silver and 15 bronze.

According to information received from IIS, the 32 medals were bagged by 11 swimmers, including five natives of the State. Besides the 32 medals, two swimmers (Shristhi Upadhaya and Mannata Mishra) clocked the best Indian times (short course) in respective events.

Shristhi recorded one best Indian time as well as won the gold medal in women 100m butterfly, clocking 1:02.53. She bettered the previous best time of 1:02.78, achieved by Divya Satija at South Asian Games in Kathmandu on 5 December 2019. Shristi went on to bag a total of two gold and one silver in individual events.

Mannata set the new best Indian time of 1:12.90 in women 100m breaststroke, erasing the previous best of 1:13.13, registered by Chahat Arora at the World Championship in Melbourne on 14 December 2022. Mannata, however, settled for the bronze medal in 100m breaststroke. She also claimed one silver medal in 200m breaststroke.

Odisha prodigy Shreyasi Das was most successful among HPC swimmers, garnering three gold, one silver and one bronze. Pratyasa Ray lived up to her reputation as the most decorated swimmer of Odisha, capturing two gold and one bronze.

Among other Odisha native medal winners, Divyanka Dibyajyoti Pradhan pocketed two bronze, while Chinmayee Behera secured one bronze. The HPC team, featuring Pratyasa Ray, Mannata Mishra, Shristi Upadhaya and Jahnabi Kashyap also won one gold medal in 4x100m medley relay, clocking 4:22.86.

Dhanvi Bhaumik (2 gold, 2 bronze), Jahnabi Kashyap (3 silver, 3 bronze), Basit Ahmed (1 silver), Abhinav Kumar Singh (3 bronze) and Aditya Thapa (1 bronze) were other non-Odia medal winners of the Odisha-IIS Swimming HPC squad, which was accompanied by Technical Director Douglas Blennerhasset Edgar and Senior Swimming Coach Sandeep Sejwal.

Earlier in September 2024, the HPC swimmers created history, bagging an unprecedented haul of six medals (1 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze) at the 77th Senior National Aquatic Championship in Mangalore, Karnataka. HPC swimmers also won one gold, one silver and one bronze medal at the Sub-junior and Junior National Aquatic Championship, held in Bhubaneswar in August 2024.

ODISHA-IIS SWIMMING HPC MEDAL WINNERS:

Shreyasi Das: 3 gold (100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 50m backstroke), 1 silver (200m individual medley), 1 bronze (200m freestyle).
Shristi Upadhaya: 2 gold (100m butterfly, 200m butterfly), 1 silver (50m butterfly).
Dhanvi Bhaumik: 2 gold (100m backstroke, 200m backstroke) 2 bronze (50m backstroke, 400m freestyle).
Pratyasa Ray: 2 gold (100m backstroke, 200m backstroke), 1 bronze (50m backstroke).
Jahnabi Kashyap: 3 silver, 3 bronze (Details not known).
Mannata Mishra: 1 silver (200m breaststroke), 1 bronze (100m breaststroke).
Abhinav Kumar Singh: 3 bronze (Details not known).
Divyanka Dibyajyoti Pradhan: 2 bronze (200m breaststroke, 200m butterfly).
Basit Ahmed: 1 silver (200m backstroke)
Chinmayee Behera: 1 bronze (800m freestyle).
Aditya Thapa: 1 bronze (200m butterfly).
Odisha-IIS HPC Team (Pratyasa Ray, Mannata Mishra, Shristi Upadhaya and Jahnabi Kashyap): Gold (4x100m medley relay).
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PHOTO: Athletes and officials of Odisha-IIS Swimming HPC pose at the KZN Premier Provincial Championships in Pretoria, South Africa.