Diksha Yadav's Golden Swim at Khelo India Beach Games

Maharashtra's 19-year-old Diksha Yadav stole the spotlight at the inaugural Khelo India Beach Games by securing gold in both women's open sea swimming events: the 10km and the 5km races held at Ghoghla Beach, Diu. According to an SAI Media Release, Yadav's impressive performance is a testament to her dedication and training.

Diksha, who began swimming competitively in Class 10 at Pune's Balewadi Stadium, has been inspired by American swimmer Katie Ledecky. Despite her relatively short career in open water swimming, she achieved victory with a time of 1 hour, 10 minutes, and 12 seconds, marking her first encounter with the Arabian Sea.

Meanwhile, Karnataka's 15-year-old Drupad Ramakrishna clinched gold in the men's 5km open swim with a timing of 1 hour, 6 minutes, and 46 seconds. Training at the Basavanagudi aquatic centre, Ramakrishna sees this victory as a mere stepping stone in his budding career, aiming for more accolades in the future.

(With inputs from agencies.)