Chi wa pui

World University Games: India's campaign at the World University Games in Germany got off to a mixed start on Thursday, with teenage swimmer Rohit Benedicton providing the day's standout performance by shattering a national record in the men’s 50m butterfly, even as other Indian athletes struggled to make an impact across multiple disciplines.

The 19-year-old swimmer clocked 24.00 seconds to finish 12th overall and qualify for the semifinals, eclipsing the seven-year-old national mark of 24.09 set by Olympian Virdhawal Khade in 2018. The performance marks yet another milestone in Rohit’s rapid rise — just last month, he broke Khade’s 100m butterfly record with a 52.57-second finish at the National Aquatics Championships in Bhubaneswar.

Rohit was the only Indian swimmer to advance to the next round on the opening day. While the swimmers and other athletes struggled, the Indian badminton contingent had a commanding start in the mixed team event, blanking Macau 5-0 in their opening Group F clash.