Ahmedabad, Sep 27 (NationPress) A total of 40 swimmers, comprising 20 men and 20 women, will represent India in the 11th Asian Aquatics Championships starting this Sunday at the newly-inaugurated state-of-the-art Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Naranpura, Ahmedabad.

The Indian team has been training in Naranpura for the past month, preparing to face the best swimmers from across Asia. Over 1,100 swimmers, coaches, and technical officials have gathered from 29 countries for this prestigious event, which also serves as a qualifying round for the upcoming Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, next year.

Leading India's charge will be two-time Olympians Sajan Prakash and Srihari Nataraj, while Dhinidhi Desinghu and Bhavya Sachdeva are expected to shine in the women’s division.

Expressing optimism about India’s prospects, Head Coach Nihar Ameen stated, “Our preparations have been exceptional with the entire team training at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex. It is a remarkable facility, and the pool is incredibly fast, so I am confident our swimmers will excel here.”

Ameen highlighted medal contenders Sajan, Srihari, and Rohit B. Benedicton in their respective events. He remarked, “We aim to secure at least 3-4 medals. If Sajan performs as he did in the 200m butterfly at the Senior Nationals, a medal is within reach, and the same applies for Srihari in the 100m and 200m backstroke. Rohit also has a strong chance in the 200m freestyle. Additionally, we have several promising women athletes like Dhinidhi, Bhavya, Nina Venkatesh, and Soubrity Mondal, all of whom are clocking impressive times. Our relay teams are also expected to perform well.”

The tournament will feature 10 teams in the men’s water polo and 8 teams in the women’s category, all vying for a spot at the Asian Games next year. Diving will see participation from 16 countries, while artistic swimming includes 10 countries, and swimming will host 21 nations.

The opening ceremony, set to start at 5 PM on Sunday, will be attended by notable dignitaries including Bhupendra Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat, and other key officials.

Swimming fans in Gujarat and across India can watch the events live at the Veer Savarkar Stadium for free, but must register online at www.11thaac2025.com to obtain their ticket QR codes. The event will also be broadcast live on Doordarshan and streamed on the Asian Aquatics YouTube channel.

Indian swimming contingent:

Men: S. Dhanush, Shoan Ganguly, Jashua Thomas, Aneesh Gowda, Rohit B. Benedicton, Advait Page, Sajan Prakash, Bikram Changmai, Heer Gitesh Shah, M.S. Yadesh Babu, Vidith S. Shankar, Kushagra Rawat, Jananjoy Jyoti Hazarika, Akash Mani, Nithik Nathella, Manikantha L, Vinayak V, Likith S.P, Rishabh Anupam Das, Srihari Nataraj.

Women: Thanya S, Shristi Upadhaya, Vihitha Nayana, Nina Venkatesh, Manavi Varma, Vritti Agarwal, Roshini B, Dhinidhi Desinghu, Bhavya Sachdeva, Astha Chodhury, Shreenithi Natesan, Naisha, Aditi Satish Hegde, Saanvi Deshwal, Sanjana Prabhugaonkar, Rujula S, Soubrity Mondal, M. Rithvika, Avantika Chavan, Harshitha Jayaram.