India’s young swimming contingent continued to make waves at the 3rd Asian Youth Games 2025, putting up an encouraging display on Day 4 of competition at the Khalifa Sports City Aquatic Centre in Manama, Bahrain.
The day saw strong results across freestyle, butterfly, and backstroke events, with several Indian swimmers advancing to finals, while others narrowly missed out despite personal-best efforts.
From Nitishsai Harinath’s top-five finish in the 50m freestyle to Dhinidhi Desinghu’s top-five finish in the 400m freestyle, India’s next generation of swimmers showed composure and growing international competitiveness in a field stacked with talent from across Asia.
The standout performance of the day came from Nitishsai Harinath, who qualified fourth in the boys’ 50m freestyle heats with a timing of 23.71 seconds and improved slightly in the final with 23.72s, finishing fifth overall. Nitishsai’s consistent sprinting performance reflects the progress India has made in short-distance freestyle an area that has long been dominated by East Asian swimmers.
In the team event, Nitishsai also featured in the boys’ 4x100m freestyle relay alongside Dhakshan Shashikumar, Nitheesh Murugesh, and Tirthank Pegu, clocking 3:34.68 to finish ninth overall. Though they narrowly missed the finals, the quartet’s cohesion and competitive splits marked a step forward for India in relay racing at the youth level.
Bengaluru’s Dhakshan Shashikumar continued his consistent form in multiple freestyle events, finishing ninth in the 400m freestyle heats (4:03.61) before improving significantly to clock 4:00.87 in the final good enough for seventh place overall.
The result reflected Dhakshan’s ability to maintain pace and composure in longer distances, an encouraging sign for India’s middle-distance prospects.
He also competed in the boys’ 100m freestyle, where he timed 52.61 seconds but narrowly missed advancing to the final. Dhakshan’s growing range across sprint and endurance categories has positioned him as one of India’s key swimmers to watch ahead of next year’s Asian Youth Championships.
Aditi Hegde and Dhinidhi Desinghu Impress in 400m Freestyle
In the girls’ 400m freestyle, Aditi Hegde and Dhinidhi Desinghu produced two of India’s strongest results of the day. Aditi clocked 4:29.22 in the heats to qualify fifth, while Dhinidhi followed closely with 4:31.15, advancing eighth.
In the finals, both swimmers showed strong finishing pace Dhinidhi clocked 4:21.86 to finish fifth, while Aditi followed in seventh (4:32.00). Dhinidhi broke her own indian best record from 4.24.60 to 4.21.86
The two teenagers, continue to demonstrate why India’s women’s middle-distance freestyle program has been steadily improving over the past two years.
Their coordination was also evident in the girls’ 4x100m freestyle relay, where the quartet of Aditi Hegde, Dhinidhi Desinghu, Rujula Shashidhara, and Vihitha Loganathan finished eighth with a timing of 4:05.73 after qualifying with 4:01.01 in the heats.
While the podium remained out of reach, the team’s ability to stay competitive against established swimming nations like Japan, South Korea, and China was commendable.
The butterfly events saw a mix of solid performances, with Vedant Tandale delivering one of the day’s most notable swims. Competing in the boys’ 100m butterfly, he clocked 56.31 seconds in the heats, qualifying seventh, and held that position in the final finishing seventh again with the same timing.
His controlled performance underlined his potential in one of the most technically demanding disciplines, where timing and stroke synchronization are critical. Vedant’s consistency through heats and finals showcased maturity well beyond his years.
Meanwhile, Nitishsai Harinath returned to the pool later in the day for the boys’ 50m butterfly, posting a strong 23.70s in the heat session. Though he narrowly missed the final cut, his back-to-back efforts across freestyle and butterfly demonstrated remarkable versatility and endurance.
The backstroke events provided valuable international exposure for India’s younger swimmers. Suhas Mylari competed in both the boys’ 50m and 200m backstroke, timing 2:11.30 in the 200m heats to rank 14th overall, while his sprint heat in the 50m event was scheduled later in the session.
Though he did not advance to the finals, Suhas’s participation across distances will be key in his long-term development. Among the girls, Sri Sagi produced a strong swim in the girls’ 200m backstroke, finishing 11th overall with 2:23.59, narrowly missing the final by a whisker.
Her teammate Vihitha Loganathan, who had already raced in the freestyle relays, clocked 2:33.00, finishing 20th, while Sagnika Roy competed in the girls’ 50m backstroke, gaining crucial exposure at her first major continental outing.
Though India did not reach the finals in backstroke, these efforts added to the team’s growing experience base in technical events an area identified by coaches as a focus for the upcoming national training cycle.
India’s youth swimming campaign in Bahrain reflects a deeper structural shift in the country’s approach to junior aquatics.
Over the past two years, the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) has emphasized international exposure, with swimmers training under specialized programs at Bengaluru’s Dolphin Aquatics.
The ongoing performances show that India’s youth swimmers are closing the gap with Asia’s elite, particularly in freestyle events where time differentials are now within striking distance of medal contention.
The growing balance between sprint, middle-distance, and stroke specialists reflects a maturing ecosystem that can soon translate domestic dominance into continental podiums.
Upcoming Schedule Day 5 and Beyond
The swimming events at the 2025 Asian Youth Games will continue until October 30, with several key finals still to come.
On October 29, India will feature in:
•Men’s and Women’s 100m Backstroke Heats featuring Suhas Mylari and Sri Sagi
•Girls’ 200m Freestyle – Dhinidhi Desinghu and Aditi Hegde set to return
•Boys’ 4x200m Freestyle Relay – India to field Dhakshan Shashikumar, Nitishsai Harinath, Vedant Tandale, and Nitheesh Murugesh
With multiple finalists and personal-best improvements already recorded, Team India’s swimmers have not only impressed but have also gained invaluable experience in a high-pressure international environment.
If the momentum continues, India’s young aquatics squad could yet finish their Bahrain campaign with record timings and a new wave of confidence heading into the 2026 Asian Age Group Championships.
