Singh set three new national records, in women’s 200m backstroke (02.48.16), 50m butterfly (32.97) and 50m backstroke (35.85) events. Apart from the three record-setting gold medals, Singh also clinched the 100m breaststroke title with the timing of 01.31.19. Singh set the 200m backstroke and 50m backstroke records during the heats before going on to win the gold medals. Shah set the new national record of 01.05.79 during the women’s 100m freestyle heats. Shah (01.06.50) outpaced Singh (01.08.53) and Anjalee Syangbo (01.11.59) to win the gold medal in the event.

Sirish Gurung, meanwhile, struck four gold medals on the opening day of the two-day championships. Gurung won the men’s open 200m freestyle (02.29.25), 100m butterfly (01.10.03), 100m backstroke (01.15.37) and 200m individual medley gold medals.

Five other swimmers — Nitesh Manandhar, Kiran Karki, Oshina Bharati, Nasir Yahyan Hussain and Shuvam Shrestha — also struck double gold medals. Manandhar claimed the 14-yrs boys’ 100m freestyle gold as well as 50m backstroke title.

Karki won 50m breaststroke open and 17-yrs boys’ 100m breaststroke titles. Bharati struck gold in the 14-yrs girls’ 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle events.

Hussain clinched the 50m breaststroke and 50m freestyle gold medals in the boys’ 10-yrs age-group category. Shrestha struck men’s open 200m breaststroke as well as 50m breaststroke titles in the 12-yrs age-group category.

Among the other gold medallists on the opening day include Niharika Tuladhar (14-yrs girls 100m breast), Devesh Manandhar (17-yrs boys 100m free), Furwa Doma Sherpa (17-yrs girls 100m back), Simran Manandhar (10-yrs girls 50m back), Rojan D Rai (14-yrs boys 50m breast), Rashika Poudel (12-yrs girls 50m back), Sonira Bista (17-yrs girls 50m breast), Seung Hwi Seo (17-yrs boys 50m back), Duana Lama (10-yrs girls 50m fly), Roshina Shrestha (12-yrs girls 50m fly), Roja KC (17-yrs girls 50m free) and Manish Chitrakar (17-yrs boys 50m fly).