Romana keeps setting records

Romana Akter kept on lighting up the pool in the 28th National Swimming Championships as the Bangladesh Army swimmer produced another record on the second day at the Syed Nazrul Islam Swimming Complex in Mirpur yesterday.

Romana, who created two records in 200m individual medley and 100m breaststroke on the first day, broke her previous record to create a new one in 400m individual medley by clocking 5:47.59 minutes (hand-timing). The previous record was 5:55.20 minutes. Her teammate Kulsum Khatun Munni won the silver medal clocking 6:53.59 minutes.

Apart from Romana's feat, Nazma Khatun and Jewel Ahmed also produced new national records. Nazma of Bangladesh Navy broke Sabura Khatun's 400m free-style record by timing 5:07.10 minutes to win the gold. The previous record of Sabura was 5:12.03 minutes. Sharmin Sultana of Army won the silver medal with a time of 5.09:95 minutes.

Later, Nazma broke another record of Sabura in 100m free-style as she took 1:05.28 minutes to erase the previous record of 1:05.91 minutes.

Naima Akter broke Sabura's record in 200m backstroke clocking 2:44.80 minutes. Previous record was 2:49.14 minutes. 

However, Jewel set the day's first record in men's 400m individual medley. The Army man eclipsed Jewel Ahmed Senior's record of 4.55:22 minutes by clocking 4.52.15 minutes. Palash Chowdhury of Navy won the silver medal with a time of 4.59:71 minutes.

South Asian Games double-gold medallist Mahfuza Khatun Shila won her first gold medal in individual event after creating two national records in relay events for Bangladesh Navy. Shila, who gave up midway through the 100m breaststroke following her knee dislocation on Sunday, won her pet event of 50m breaststroke timing 35.28 seconds yesterday, leaving Romana to finish second with a time of 36.78 seconds.

A total of six national records were set on the second day following the five records on the first day.