Host Odisha youngsters secured a total of 16 top-five positions on the opening day of the Khelo India Junior Women (KIJW) Swimming Series (Round-2, Zone-4) at Biju Patnaik Swimming Pool, Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar today. The 16 positions included six first, two third, four fourth and four fifth.

Divyanka Dibyajyoti Pradhan and Mannata Mishra were most successful among Odisha competitors, bagging two first positions each in U-18 and U-15 age groups respectively.

Department of Sports & Youth Services (DSYS), Government of Odisha and The Odisha State Swimming Association (TOSSA) jointly organised the two-day event under the aegis of Sports Authority of India (SAI).

As many as 64 women swimmers from Odisha, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh competed for honours in 14 events on day one. The events were classified in two categories: Regular and Developmental swimming events. Prize money were awarded to the first five positions in each event.

The inaugural ceremony of the series was presided over by TOSSA President Pradip Padhee and the Series was formally declared open by Odisha Government Joint Secretary Shubhranshu Mishra. SAI Deputy Director T N Sahu was the guest of honour.

State Water Resources Special Secretary Archana Patnaik awarded merit certificates to the winners. TOSSA Working President Dr Soma Mishra, General Secretary Golapmani Mahanta and Treasurer Bijay Dixit were present during the occasion.

ODISHA ACHIEVERS (Top 5 Positions):

Group 18 & Under:
*   Divyanka Dibyajyoti Pradhan: 1st in 200m breaststroke, 1st in 200m individual medley.
*   Vadra Satpathy: 1st in 200m freestyle, 3rd in 100m backstroke.
*   Akankshya Nayak: 1st in 100m butterfly, 4th in 200m freestyle.
*   Arpita Sahoo: 3rd in 200m breaststroke, 5th in 200m individual medley.
*   Mahika Mahakur: 4th in 100m backstroke.
*   Daspreet Kaur Sodhi: 5th in 100m backstroke.

Group 15 & Under:
*   Mannata Mishra: 1st in 100m butterfly, 1st in 200m individual medley.
*   Aanchal Bag: 4th in 200m breaststroke.
*   Prachi Bharadwaj Padhi: 4th in 100m backstroke.
*   Anuva Jena: 5th in 200m breaststroke.
*   Nayantara Karthikeyan: 5th in 100m backstroke.
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PHOTO: Odisha swimmer Mannata Mishra (Centre) poses with one of her two first-position certificates at the Khelo India Junior Women Swimming Series in Bhubaneswar on 19 November 2022.