The 11th Asian Aquatics Championships entered a dynamic new phase on Saturday with the start of water polo and artistic swimming events at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex.
The day saw high-octane contests in the pool, with Kazakhstan dominating the artistic swimming medals, Japan and Iran making strong water polo statements, and Singapore emerging as the standout in both men’s and women’s water polo at the expense of India.
For the home side, it was a difficult opening day as both the Indian men’s and women’s water polo teams went down to Singapore, highlighting the gap in experience and tactical precision at the continental level.
Singapore Too Strong for Indian Men
In the Men’s Group B fixture, Singapore outplayed India 20–8, displaying superior ball control, coordination, and finishing. Despite an encouraging start where India drew first blood, unforced errors, missed passes, and defensive lapses quickly allowed Singapore to wrest control of the match.
Singapore’s attack was spearheaded by captain Rajandra Sanjiv and See Tien Ee, both scoring four goals apiece, as the visitors steadily built momentum through sharp counterattacks and clinical set plays. Goh Wen Zhe contributed three goals, while Loh Cayden, Chan Dominic, and Lok Shunn added two each. Chow Yong rounded off the tally with one goal.
For India, Sarang Ravindra and Praveen Gopinathan scored two goals each, while Bhagesh Jagdish, Uday Uttekar, Ankit Prasad, and Vibhav Suhas Kuthe found the net once apiece.
While India showed glimpses of promise particularly in quick breaks during the second quarter Singapore’s superior organization in both attack and defense proved too much. The visitors’ ability to capitalize on power plays and man-advantage situations tilted the game firmly in their favor by halftime.
Women’s Team Suffers Similar Fate
The script was strikingly similar in the Women’s Group A contest, where Singapore handed India a 23–10 defeat in what turned into a one-sided affair after the first quarter.
Singapore’s Yap Jingxuan produced a standout individual performance, scoring seven goals and controlling the offensive tempo from start to finish. Supporting her were Koh Ting, Lee Xuan, and Koh Xiao, each with four goals, while Tio Ji struck three times and captain Yeo Zhi Min added one.
For India, Krisha Purokatastha top-scored with three goals, while Kripa Ranichithra netted two. Sefwa Sakeer, Captain Varsha Suresh, Kalautri Mitra, Dhruthi Karthikeya, and Madhurami Shanti also contributed one goal each.
The Indian side began energetically but struggled to cope with Singapore’s fast transitions and pressing defense. As the game wore on, turnovers in midfield and miscommunication in defense led to multiple easy goals for Singapore.
While India’s offense occasionally sparkled through Krisha and Varsha’s creative play, Singapore’s depth and tactical cohesion ultimately proved decisive.
Regional Rivals Shine in Other Matches
Elsewhere, there was plenty of action in the water polo pool. In Women’s Group B, Thailand edged Kazakhstan in a tightly contested encounter, winning 14–12.
Kwantongtanaree Thanidakarn was the star for Thailand, firing six goals, while Puangtong Kritsana (4) and Konggchouy Thnita and Rueangsappaisan Raksina (two each) added vital strikes. Kazakhstan’s captain Mirshina Anastassiya led her team with five goals, supported by Vorontsova Olga (3), Rakhmanova Madina (2), and one each from Pochinok Darya and Kaplun Viktoriya.
In Men’s Group A, Iran registered an impressive 14–9 win over China, marking one of the day’s most balanced and strategic contests.
Iran’s attack was spread across several players Shams Arman (3 goals), Aghaei Karim, Behzadsabouri Farbod, captain Yazdankhah Mehndi, and Jalilpour Amirreza (2 each) while Mehrikohneshahri Alireza, Iranpourtari Ashkan, and Sadrnia Seyederfan added one each.
For China, Zhu Beile led with four goals, followed by Zhu Gengmin (2), and one each from Wang Beiyi, captain Chen Yimin, and Cai Yuhao. Iran’s defensive structure and swift counters were the difference, particularly in the closing quarters when they pulled away.
In another Men’s Group B encounter, Japan proved too strong for Thailand, cruising to a 24–12 victory. Japanese captain Ura Enishi was in sublime form, scoring eight goals, supported by Moriya Yuki (5) and Lowery Jun and Shoyama Yu (3 each). Maeda Toshiyuki and Sakamaki Naru netted two apiece, while Yamamoto Ryotaro added one.
Thailand’s Chainiyom Phongsathon fought valiantly with six goals, while captain Chompoosang Pattanit and Kaewmanee Suteenan scored two each. Kaewanee Chanoknan and Klinhom Supakorn completed the tally with one goal apiece.
Kazakhstan Dominate Artistic Swimming
Away from the water polo battles, Kazakhstan reaffirmed their aquatic supremacy by sweeping both gold medals on offer in the Artistic Swimming Solo Technical events.
In the Men’s Solo Technical, Viktor Druzin won gold with a score of 228.1708, narrowly edging compatriot Eduard Kim (223.5584) for silver. Japan’s Remma Furuuchi finished third with 206.8675.
Kazakhstan continued their dominance in the Women’s Solo Technical, where Karina Magrupova topped the podium with a score of 240.1600. Uzbekistan’s Sabina Makhmudova (222.1600) claimed silver, while Yasmina Islamova of Kazakhstan (204.0066) secured bronze, completing an excellent day for Central Asia’s aquatic powerhouse.
Despite the opening setbacks, India’s water polo teams remain hopeful of regrouping in their upcoming fixtures. Both sides are relatively young and in the process of rebuilding under new coaching setups. Their next matches will offer a chance to correct errors, tighten defense, and gain valuable experience against seasoned Asian opponents.
The 11th Asian Aquatics Championships hosting more than 1,000 athletes across five disciplines has already delivered thrilling action. For India, the goal over the coming days will be to turn lessons from these early defeats into momentum for the rest of the tournament.
