Swimmer Maana Patel breaks own record of ‘Best Indian Time’ in women’s 100m backstroke event

Indian Olympian Maana Patel has set the new ‘Best Indian Time’ in the women’s 100m backstroke event at the Canet leg of Mare Nostrum swimming meet in France.

Maana, the 22-year-old swimmer from Gujarat who had competed at the Tokyo Olympics, clocked 01:03.69, improving her personal best of 01:03.77 previously clocked in Belgrade last year.

At the meet in France, Maana qualified 15th overall to qualify for the ‘B’ final, where she finished with a timing of 01:03:87.

Maana was the first female and third Indian swimmer to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

In swimming, timing is considered a national record when it is achieved at the National Aquatic Championships. Hence, the timings clocked in other meets are called the ‘Best Indian Time.’