Odisha made history by winning its first-ever Senior National gold medal in swimming at the 77th Senior National Aquatic Championship in Mangalore, Karnataka. On the penultimate day of the championship, Odisha’s women swimmers achieved this remarkable feat in the 4x100m medley relay, marking a major milestone for the state in competitive swimming. The victorious Odisha team, consisting of Pratyasa Ray, Mannata Mishra, Shristi Upadhaya, and Sonia Patel, clinched the coveted gold medal with a record-breaking time of 4 minutes and 27.29 seconds. Despite starting the event as underdogs and being placed in Lane 8, known to be the toughest lane, the Odisha swimmers showcased exceptional determination and outpaced strong teams from Maharashtra, Karnataka, Railways, and Bengal.

Pratyasa Ray, Odisha’s most decorated swimmer, set the stage for the historic win by giving her team an early lead in the backstroke event. Building on this momentum, Mannata Mishra and Shristi Upadhaya maintained the lead in the breaststroke and butterfly laps. Sonia Patel delivered a stunning performance in the freestyle leg, clocking her personal best and securing the gold for her team. “The girls have once again made Odisha proud with this historic relay gold. Even though they were placed in Lane 8, they took it as a challenge and proved themselves with sheer grit and determination,” said Odisha State Swimming Association working president Soma Mishra, who witnessed the event firsthand.

This victory created a buzz at the venue, with the parents of the Odisha swimmers celebrating the moment with dance. Swimming Federation of India general secretary Monal Choksi personally greeted the Odisha swimmers, acknowledging their outstanding performance. Sonia Patel expressed her excitement: “I feel great today. I still can’t believe we have won a gold medal in the Senior National Championship for the first time. I am thankful to my teammates, coaches, and parents for this achievement.”