Indiver Sairem and Willson Ningthoujam claim bronze in men’s synchronised 10m platform, India’s first diving medals at the Asian Aquatics Championships
Srihari Nataraj wins two silvers and helps India secure relay bronze; 4x200m freestyle team sets national record
Asian Aquatics Championships 2025 in Ahmedabad features strong competition from China, Malaysia, and other top Asian nations
India's aquatics breakthrough at the Asian Aquatics Championships 2025 continues. On September 29, 2025, at Ahmedabad's Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, two Manipuris -- Indiver Sairem and Willson Ningthoujam -- etched their names into the record books by claiming bronze in the men's synchronised 10m platform diving event.
Their score of 300.66 placed them behind China's dominant duo Zhangyu Cui and Zhanhong Xu (381.75), and the Malaysian pair of Bertrand Rhodict Lises and Enrique M. Harold (329.73), both seasoned contenders in Asia's fiercely competitive diving circuit.
Sairem, 18, and Ningthoujam, 32, are now India's first-ever Asian Aquatics medallists in diving. They train at the Army Sports Institute in Pune.
"Over the last six months, we've really focused on synchronised events, both platform and 3m springboard," coach Shannon Roy told Olympics.com. "We spent time in camps overseas, including Malaysia, and at the World Championships in Singapore, preparing them for this meet and the long-term goal of the Asian Games."
What Is Synchronised Diving?
Synchronised diving involves two athletes performing identical dives simultaneously from a platform or springboard. Judges assess the execution of each dive and the synchronicity between the divers, measuring how well their movements mirror each other in timing, form, and entry into the water.
The 10m platform is considered demanding as it requires precision, courage, and control. Divers leap from a height equivalent to a three-storey building.
Asia's diving circuit is notoriously competitive. China continues to dominate, while Malaysia has emerged as a strong force in synchronised events. Japan and South Korea maintain elite programs, and nations like Vietnam and Uzbekistan are steadily rising.
For context, China swept diving gold medals at the Paris Olympic Games, and they have won stunning 46 of the 56 golds since 2000.
India At Asian Aquatics Championships 2025
Srihari Nataraj opened India's account with silver medals in the men’s 200m freestyle and 50m backstroke swimming events on Sunday. The two-time Olympian then helped the men’s 4x100m team to claim medley relay bronze.
As of Sunday, the 24-year-old from Bengaluru has won four medals at the ongoing continental event in Gujarat.
He was also part of the men's 4x200m freestyle relay team that broke the national record. Aneesh S Gowda, Shoan Ganguly, Sajan Prakash, and Nataraj clocked 7:23.38 to finish ahead of Malaysia (7:23.43). China won gold with a time of 7:21.05.
The 11th edition of the Asian Aquatics Championships in Ahmedabad got underway on September 28 and will conclude on October 10.
