As the FISU World University Games 2025 roll into a crucial stage, 18 July promises to be a marathon of excitement for Indian fans, stretching from a midday splash in the pool to potential midnight finishes under floodlights.
Across swimming lanes, fencing pistes, hard courts and taekwondo mats, India’s student-athletes are set to fight, sprint, and serve for glory.
The day opens at 12:30 PM IST with two simultaneous events that perfectly capture the Games’ blend of power and precision. In swimming, Bhavya Sachdeva and Shrungi Bhandekar begin their journey in the women’s 400m individual medley heat. It’s a race that tests not just raw speed but versatility across butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. At the same moment, in fencing, the men’s épée team Balram, Shankar, Lokesh, and Sufyan Waleed enter the pool stage, aiming to thrust, parry, and advance to the knockout rounds later in the day.
Barely half an hour later at 12:57 PM, all eyes turn back to the pool as Aneesh Gowda and Srihari Nataraj dive in for the men’s 200m freestyle heats. With Srihari’s reputation as a record-breaker and Aneesh’s emerging promise, fans will hope at least one can swim fast enough to return for the evening semifinals.
Then at 1:02 PM, the spotlight shifts to taekwondo, where India’s women’s team faces Ecuador in the poomsae round of 16. In this elegant discipline, judged on technique and rhythm, it’s about grace under pressure rather than head-to-head combat.
By 1:29 PM, the action is back to the sprints in swimming as Nina Venkatesh and Latiesha Mandanna challenge in the women’s 100m freestyle heats, an event that often sees finishes separated by hundredths of a second.
Almost simultaneously at 1:30 PM, the women’s table tennis team take on the Netherlands in Group 5, trying to bounce back after a narrow loss to Romania on Day 1. Across the campus, Indian tennis hope Anjali Rathi starts her women’s singles campaign against Uganda’s C Owomuhangi in the round of 64, where a win would build momentum in a competitive draw.
The taekwondo mats stay busy at 1:34 PM with the Indian men’s team going up against Korea, aiming for poise and precision in their poomsae performance.
At 1:53 PM, the pool hosts Nithik Nathella in the men’s 100m backstroke heats, followed closely by Rithvika and V Naga Greeshmini in the women’s 50m breaststroke at 2:10 PM, sprint races where reaction time at the start can define the finish.
The early afternoon keeps Indian fans switching screens. At 2:25 PM, Shoan Ganguly and Anurag Singh tackle the men’s 200m individual medley heat a race mixing all four strokes in quick succession. Then at 2:45 PM, the women’s foil fencing team Kanaga Lakshmi, Khushi, Asitha, and Somirin Alice take to the piste, hoping for precision and quick footwork to carry them from pools to finals.
From fencing halls to basketball courts, the clock ticks to 3:15 PM, when the men’s 3×3 basketball team face Germany in Group D. It’s followed by another high-energy clash at 3:30 PM, as the women’s 5×5 basketball team meet Czechia in Group A, eager to open their account.
Meanwhile, at the same time, the men’s table tennis team challenge Colombia in Group 3, fighting for knockout stage qualification.
By 4:00 PM, there’s a triple treat for racquet sports fans. On the tennis courts, Vaishnavi Adkar takes on Maria Geels of the Netherlands in the women’s singles round of 64, while the Indian doubles pair Kabir and Maan face Thailand in the round of 32.
On the badminton courts, India’s mixed team meets Hong Kong in Group F after their 5-0 whitewash of Macau a key test against tougher rivals.
Evening brings a fresh wave of excitement. At 6:55 PM, the men’s 3×3 basketball team are back against Mongolia, looking to strengthen their group position. The table tennis men’s team could also appear in the round of 16 at 9:30 PM, subject to earlier group results.
But it’s after sunset that swimmers might shine brightest. Pending morning results, several could return: the men’s 200m freestyle semifinals at 10:30 PM, the women’s 100m freestyle semifinals at 10:41 PM, and possibly the women’s 400m individual medley final at 10:50 PM a chance for Bhavya or Shrungi to close the day in style. Then come the men’s 100m backstroke semifinals at 11:12 PM and the women’s 50m breaststroke semifinals at 11:22 PM.
At 11:30 PM, the women’s volleyball team face Spain in Pool C, hoping to register a win after earlier defeats. Finally, at 12:06 AM, if they qualify, Shoan and Anurag might be back in the men’s 200m individual medley semifinals, wrapping up nearly twelve hours of Indian action.
From powerful fencing lunges to breathless swimming sprints, and from precise poomsae kicks to last-minute basketball three-pointers, 18 July showcases India’s student-athletes at their versatile best. Every heat, set, and match carries hope, pride and the chance to make history at the world’s biggest stage for university sport. Stay tuned and cheer on Team India as they chase milestones from noon to midnight.
