Singapore: Mangalorean Teen Wins Gold Medal at Asian Youth Games
Daijiworld Media Network—Singapore (CN)
Singapore, Jul 6: Mangalorean teenager Aaron Agnel D’Souza won the gold medal in the boys' 200m freestyle swimming final at the inaugural Asian Youth Games held in Singapore.
Sixteen-year-old Aaron, who led from the start, clocked 1:52.22.
Aaron's grand father Raphael Pereira is from Karkala while grandmother Leticia Pereira is from Kulshekhar, Mangalore. His mother Lydia D'Souza is from Karkala and father Agnel D'Souza hails from Kumta in Uttara Kannada district.
Aaron is a student of science, studying in St Joseph's Indian Composite College, Bangalore.
"I was sure to win gold in the event and I did it,” said a jubilant Aaron after winning the gold medal.
On Saturday, the last day of the athletics event at the Games, Indians had a total tally of four golds, two silvers, and two bronzes, the fourth best of the participating nations.
Two golds came from athletics while the third gold came from swimming through Aaron.
Ravi Kumar won gold in the boys' 800m final with a timing of 1:55.91. Amir (1:55.93) of Iran was second while E Herath (1:56.33) of Sri Lanka was third.
Ravi, a class XI student, trains at Army Boys Sports Company, a joint venture of Rajputana Rifles and SAI.
In the girls' 800m, Namita Kabat bagged gold clocking 2:15.55, way ahead of Vietnam's Thin Than (2:20.43).