Karnataka’s Manikanta Shines with 8 Golds at KITG 2026, Eyes Asian Games

Raipur, March 2026: Karnataka swimmer Manikanta L delivered a stellar performance at the Khelo India Tribal Games (KITG) 2026, winning eight gold medals and one silver, and now has his sights firmly set on representing India at the upcoming Asian Games.

Over the past few days, life for the 21-year-old has been a relentless cycle of preparation and performance, with barely any time to recover between races. Despite aiming for nine gold medals, Manikanta fell just short but clearly dominated the competition with his remarkable consistency and endurance.

The biggest challenge for him was not just winning races but managing the intense schedule. With very little time between events, he often had to move straight from the pool to medal ceremonies and then quickly return for the next race, requiring both physical stamina and mental resilience.

A backstroke specialist, Manikanta pushed his limits by competing across multiple strokes—backstroke, freestyle, and butterfly—to maximize his medal tally for the team. Reflecting on the experience, he said that adjusting between different strokes was not easy, as each race demands a unique strategy, and the tight schedule made it even more demanding.

Despite having only six races per day, Manikanta competed in nearly every alternate event during the first three days. The demanding schedule eventually took a toll, as he had to settle for silver in the 50m freestyle, finishing behind his Karnataka teammate Dhuneesh M. He revealed that muscle stiffness in his abdomen affected his speed in that final race but expressed overall satisfaction with his performance.

Manikanta drew inspiration from his uncle Manjunath, a former national-level swimmer. Earlier this year, he had also won four gold medals at the Khelo India University Games in Jaipur, including individual titles in the 100m and 200m backstroke.

Interestingly, he initially focused on butterfly events but switched to backstroke in 2019 following a shoulder injury, on the advice of his coach Sinjo. “I believe I am made for backstroke,” he said, recalling that his first national medal in 2016 came in a relay event where he swam backstroke.

Hailing from Davanagere, Manikanta currently trains under coach Rajeev RS at the Basavanagudi Aquatic Centre in Bengaluru. Despite his success in multiple events at Raipur, he is clear about his future focus.

Competing in numerous events puts immense strain on the body and can affect performance in his primary discipline, he said. Going forward, he plans to concentrate solely on backstroke to improve his timings and secure a place in India’s squad for the Asian Games this year.

Having already won more than 20 medals in Khelo India events and secured two silver and one bronze at senior nationals, Manikanta knows he still has work to do. The Asian Games qualification time for the 200m backstroke stands at 2:13.03, while his personal best is 2:20.55.

“I have been working hard over the past two months with this goal in mind. I know it won’t be easy to qualify, but with consistent effort, it is possible,” he said.

Looking ahead, Manikanta also dreams of securing a job with the Karnataka Police based on his achievements in swimming, adding another goal to his inspiring journey.