CWG: Srihari reaches 50m backstroke semis, Budinga para-swimmers, Ali in final

Indian swimmer Srihari Nataraj cruised into the semi-finals of the men’s 50m backstroke at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games on Friday, while RVVBK para-swimmers. Budigina and Imam Ali safely completed their morning heats to book their places in today’s 100m freestyle S13 final.

Nataraj, a two-time Olympian and holder of several national records, endured a tense wait after finishing fifth in his eight-man heat. In 25.52 seconds, he tied for 14th overall alongside Bermuda’s Jack Harvey. The performance was enough to secure the Indian a place in the 16-man semi-final starting list and keep his campaign alive on the opening day of the tournament in Scotland.

Having previously competed at Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022, where he became the first Indian swimmer to reach multiple individual finals at a single Games, Nataraj arrived in Glasgow as the anchor of the Indian swimming squad. Although off his personal best, his progress secures India’s representation in the evening’s backstroke semi-finals.

Meanwhile, the Indian para-swimming contingent enjoyed a productive session as both RVVBK Budigina and Imam Ali booked their places in the final of the men’s 100m freestyle S13, a category designed for visually impaired athletes.

Since there were eight competitors in the race, the heats served only to determine lane assignments for the medal race rather than to eliminate swimmers. Budigina produced an impressive display, finishing third in his heat and third overall in 57.10 seconds, securing a strong middle lane position for the final.

His teammate, Imam Ali, faced a tougher test in the water and finished at the bottom of the heap with a time of 1:05.32 seconds. However, with the structure of the competition allowing all eight competitors to advance directly to the showpiece, Ali joins Budigina in the list of medal contenders.

Both Budigina and Ali will return to the pool tonight with the aim of reaching the podium, while Nataraj will focus on securing a lane in the 50m breaststroke final.

– The end

Issued by:

Akshay Ramesh

Published on:

24 Jul 2026 18:20 IST