LAHORE, Sept 19: Defending champions Army took an impressive start clinching six golds, three silver and bronze medals each to dominate the first day of the National swimming championships for men at the Model Town Club pool Thursday.

Army which won six finals out of a total seven accumulated  74 points  to  lead the points table followed by hosts Wapda which bagged a silver and three bronze medals to make 32 points. Navy won  the remaining gold with two silver and one bronze with a total of 30  points  to occupy the third  position.  Punjab  (15 points),  UGC  (two points) and Pakistan Air  Force (one  point) remained without medals on the first day.

Army’s first gold came through Mehboob in the 1500m freestyle with a time of 18m.39.02secs while Zulifqar Ali added two more to the tally when he won the 200m butterfly  clocking 2m.16.52secs and then  the 400m individual medley with 5m.9.56secs.

Hav. Muhammad Khan brought another gold for Army  when he  clocked 2.6.34 to win the  200m  freestyle.

Muhammad Zahid of Navy bagged  the solitary gold of his team in the 200 metre backstroke. Zahid  who clocked two minutes 27.50 seconds was very closely chased by  Sep Nisar  Ahmad  (Army).  Ahmad  completed  the  distance  with  the difference of only 1.65 seconds. L/Nk Nisar Ahmed awarded one more gold to Army to make it their fifth and the sixth and final gold was claimed in the 4 x 200 freestyle relay.

Results:

1500m freestyle: Sep Mehboob (Army) 18m 39.02secs, Munawar Luqman (Wapda), L/NK Liaqat Ali Senior  (Army),

200m freestyle: Hav. Muhammad Khan (Army) 2m 6.34secs,  Sep Mehboob  (Army), Munawar Luqman (Wapda),

200m butterfly: L/Hav Zulifqar Ali Senior (Army) 2m 16.52secs, A. Gul (Navy), Sep. Mohammad Akhtar (Army)

200m backstroke: Muhammad Zahid (Navy) 2m 27.50sec, Sep Nisar Ahmad  (Army),  L/Hav M Taz (Army),

200m  breaststroke: L/Nk Nisar Ahmed (Army) 2m 40.24 secs, L/Hav Shumal  Khan  (Army), Akbar (Navy),

400m  Individual medley: Zulifqar (Army)5m 9.56 sec, Nisar  Ahmad (Army),  Faraz  Mohammad (Wapda), 4x200  freestyle  relay:  Army 9m 9.18 sec,  Army,  Navy,

Medal  table  and  points (tabulate shows  teams,  gold,  silver, bronze, points): Army 6-3-3-74. Wapda 0-1-3-32. Navy 1-2-1-30 Punjab 0-0-0-15. UGC 0-0-0-02 PAF 0-0-0-01