Great performance by Indian swimmers in Commonwealth Games 2026. Para-swimmers Karthik Budigina and Ali Imam reached the finals, while Olympian Srihari Nataraj made it to the semi-finals of the 50m backstroke.
glasgow [स्कॉटलैंड]July 24 (ANI): It was a great day for Indian swimmers on Friday at the Commonwealth Games 2026. Para-swimmers Karthik Budigina and Ali Imam advanced to the finals of the men’s 100m freestyle S13, while Olympian Srihari Nataraj booked his place in the semi-finals of the men’s 50m backstroke.
Para swimming: Karthik and Ali reach the finals
The 18-year-old Budygina produced a stellar performance in his Commonwealth Games debut, clocking 57.10 seconds to finish third in the men’s 100m freestyle S13 heats, according to ESPN. The visually impaired swimmer was fourth at the turn, but finished brilliantly to make it into the top three.
Great Britain’s Stephen Clegg topped the heats with a time of 56.57 seconds, leaving Budygina just 0.53 seconds behind the fastest qualifying time.
Considered one of India’s most talented para-swimming prospects, Budigina had switched from rowing to swimming during the COVID-19 pandemic and his performances have been improving ever since.
Ali Imam, another Commonwealth Games debutante, also reached the finals despite finishing last in the heats with a timing of 1:05.32. Imam competes in the S12 classification at the international level, but competed in the S13 event, with all eight swimmers in the field advancing to Thursday’s medal race.
Srihari Nataraj made it to the semi-finals
India had another reason to celebrate in the swimming pool as Srihari Nataraj qualified for the semi-finals of the men’s 50m backstroke, according to ESPN.
The Olympian finished fifth in Heat 4 with a time of 25.52 seconds, placing him 14th overall in the five heats and enough to make the semi-finals.
Nataraj had entered the Games after clearing the qualification standard of 25.39 seconds and will be looking to improve on his heat performance in the semi-finals to be held in the evening.
South Africa’s Pieter Coetzee was the fastest in the heats with a timing of 24.45 seconds, which was 1.07 seconds faster than the Indian swimmer.
India will now have three swimmers in action in the evening session, with Budigina and Imam gunning for medals in the para-swimming final, while Natraj will return to the pool looking to seal a place in the men’s 50m backstroke final.
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