Ansar beat Navy by a gold

QUEEN OF THE POOL: Sonia Akhter of Bangladesh Ansar & VDP is immersed in content after becoming the best swimmer of 22nd National Swimming Championship with eight gold and three silver medals. Photo: Star

The Prime Bank 25th National Swimming Competition concluded at the National Swimming Complex in Mirpur yesterday with Bangladesh Ansar & VDP emerging champions with 17 gold, 13 silver and two bronze medals, followed closely by Bangladesh Navy who captured 16 gold, seven silver and nine bronze medals. In the overall medals count, two teams were tied with 32 medals each. Bangladesh Army emerged a distant third with six gold, 14 silver and six Bronze. BKSP are the only other team to have their name in the gold column. They finished fourth with three gold, five silver and six bronze.
The fight between champions Ansar and runnersup Navy was taken to the wire by the two swimmers from each side; Ansar's Sonia Akhter and Dolly Akhter and Navy's Rubel Rana and Mahfizur Rahman. Sonia became the best female swimmer of the meet as she took her gold tally to eight by winning three more on the final day. She also won three silver medals in the meet. Sonia's teammate veteran Dolly Akhter won four gold medals on the final day for a total haul of six gold.
Sonia won gold in 100m backstroke, 800m freestyle and 4X100m medley rally teaming up with Dolly, Mahfuza Khatun and Laboni Akhter Jui. Dolly's other three gold came in 100m freestyle, 200m breaststroke and 50m backstroke.
On the other hand, Rubel Rana of Navy won gold in the 100m backstroke, and 4X100m medley rally on the final day to take his gold tally to five, thus becoming the best male swimmer along with teammate Mahfizur Rahman who also won five gold including three yesterday. Mahfizur's three gold of the day came in 100m freestyle, 1500m freestyle and 4X100m medley rally.
The only record of the day, and the third in three days, came in this 4X100m medley rally event where Mahfizur, Rubel, Shariful and Nazrul clocked 4:04.30 minutes to beat the previous mark by 0.42 seconds.
The gold in water polo was claimed by Bangladesh Army who beat Bangladesh Navy 11-8 in the final yesterday.
Later, the president of Bangladesh Swimming Federation and chief of Navy Vice Admiral Zahir Uddin Ahmed NDC, PSC distributed prizes among winners. Ehsan Khasru, the managing director of sponsors Prime Bank Limited was present there among others during the presentations.