Short Course World Championships: Srihari Nataraj sets 'Best Indian time' in men's 50m backstroke

Abu Dhabi: Ace Indian swimmer Srihari Nataraj set ‘Best Indian time’ at the FINA short course World Championship but that was not enough to take him to the semi-finals of the 50m backstroke event in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. The 20-year-old clocked 24.40s in the men’s 50m backstroke event to finish 26th in the overall heats. Nataraj, who competed at the Tokyo Games after becoming the second Indian swimmer after Sajan Prakash to breach the ‘A’ qualifying time for the Olympics, was unable to progress to the semi-finals where the top 16 swimmers compete. This is Nataraj’s second ‘Best Indian time’ at the meet, the Bengaluru swimmer had bettered his own record in the 100m backstroke event on the opening day. The timings clocked and records in this meet, which is being contested in a 25m swimming pool, are different from the more traditional long course ones. A short course meet is contested in 25-metre pools, while the 50-metres pools are called long courses. In swimming, a timing is considered a national record when it has been achieved at the National Aquatic Championships. Hence, the timings clocked in other meets are called the ‘Best Indian time’.