Pakistan swimmers smash national records

Lianna, Kiran shine at Asian Swimming Championship in Dubai.

KARACHI: Pakistani swimmers Lianna Swan and Kiran Khan broke national records as they concluded the Asian Swimming Championship on a high note in Dubai yesterday.

Lianna managed to break the national record by four seconds in the 200-metre individual medley, while Kiran completed a successful comeback after a year and a half as she bettered her own national record in the 100-meter butterfly event.

Lianna finished in 13th position, breaking the national 200m individual medley record previously held by Kiran. She also broke Kiran’s national records in 200m breaststroke, 100m freestyle and 400m individual medley on the first two days of the championships.

“Lianna did better than we expected,” Lianna’s coach Ashley Morris told The Express Tribune. “The 200m individual medley is her best event and with this performance at the Asian Championships, we are confident of doing better in Turkey next month at the World Short Course Championships. The event will be important for Pakistan athletes. Lianna will represent Pakistan along with Anam Bandey and Kiran. It’s about finding out who is the best. Her aim was always to break the national records but she is also on her way to becoming a medal-winning swimmer.”

Meanwhile, Khan said that she was satisfied with her performance as she improved her own records in the 50m and the 100m butterfly events.

“It’s not easy to recover from a shoulder injury but I feel I did well,” said Kiran. “Improving by two seconds is a big achievement so it was a successful come back for me.”

Meanwhile, her brother and Pakistan’s only male swimmer in the championship Sikandar Khan finished his 100m freestyle event in 12th position. Pakistan women’s team finished 4x100 free relay race in 10th position.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19^th, 2012.