Swimming
National Games 2025: Dhinidhi Desinghu sets new national record, wins three gold medals
Dhinidhi Desinghu won three gold medals and set a new national record in the Women’s 200m Freestyle on the first day of National Games 2025 in Haldwani.
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Dhinidhi Desinghu
India’s teenage swimming sensation Dhinidhi Desinghu delivered a spectacular performance on the opening day of the 38th National Games 2025, winning three gold medals and setting a new national record in the Women’s 200m Freestyle.
The Karnataka swimmer, who was India’s youngest athlete at the Paris 2024 Olympics, dominated the competition in the pool.
Dhinidhi Desinghu had a remarkable start to the competition, clinching three gold medals on the opening day.
The 14-year-old outclassed her competitors in the Women’s 200m Freestyle, smashing her previous national record of 2:04.24 (set in 2023) with a brilliant 2:03.24 finish. She then added another gold in the Women’s 100m Butterfly, leading a Karnataka 1-2 finish alongside Naisha Shetty. To cap off a dominant day, she was a key member of Karnataka’s gold-medal-winning 4x100m freestyle relay team.
Complete Swimming Results from Day 1
Men’s Events:
• Men’s 200m Freestyle: Gold – Srihari Nataraj (Karnataka, 1:50.57)
• Men’s 100m Butterfly: Gold – Benedict Rohit (Tamil Nadu, 53.29s)
• Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay: Gold – Karnataka (3:26.26)
Women’s Events:
• Women’s 200m Freestyle: Gold – Dhinidhi Desinghu (Karnataka, 2:03.24, NR)
• Women’s 100m Butterfly: Gold – Dhinidhi Desinghu (Karnataka, 1:03.62)
• Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay: Gold – Karnataka (4:01.58)
Other notable performances included Shristi Upadhaya (Odisha) and Snigdha Ghosh (Bengal) in the 100m butterfly, as well as Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu securing podium finishes in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.
Dhinidhi Desinghu’s stellar start at the National Games further cements her status as India’s brightest young swimming star.
With several events still ahead, she will be looking to add more gold medals and continue her record-breaking spree in Haldwani.