Bhubaneswar, July 15 (UNI) A total of over 1200 participants from across 28 states and Union Territories have descended for the prestigious 48th Junior National Aquatic Championships which will begin here on July 16 at the Biju Patnaik Swimming Pool Complex. The fiveday national championships at the iconic Kalinga Stadium, which is a hub for several top international sporting events, will see participants vie for top honors in swimming and water polo.
The 48th Junior National Aquatic Championships 2022 will serve as a selection trial for the next edition of the Khelo India Youth Games. The swimming Federation of In- dia (SFI) will also identify swimmers for a long-term national program aimed at preparing swimmers for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In the Junior category, Karnataka’s Ridhima Virendrakumar, Nina Venkatesh, Sanvi Rao, Shoan Ganguly, Utkarsh S. Patil, Vidith Shankar, and Sambhav R. are billed to bring home top honors. Maharashtra’s Vedaant Madhavan, Ananya Joshi
Aryan Varnekar, Apeksha Fernandes, Kiara Bangera, Uthkarsh Gor, Palak Dami- ni, Tamil Nadu’s Vishesh Parmeshwar, and Delhi’s Bhavya Sachdeva too are expected to outperform in their respective events. Expressing his gratitude to the Department of Sports Youth Services, Odisha State Government who ex- tended their support in hosting this event.
