Swatik Patil, a talented para-swimmer hailing from Mutaga village in Belagavi district, has brought pride to Karnataka and the nation by winning a bronze medal in the men’s 100m breaststroke (SB9) at the Aichi–Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games in Japan.
Swatik clocked 1 minute 13.77 seconds to finish third in the final. Iran’s Sina Zeyghaminejad won gold with a time of 1:09.47, while compatriot Shahin Izadyar secured silver in 1:13.23.
From Mutaga to the international swimming arena
Swatik is the son of Narayan Patil and Changuna Patil. An alumnus of NIT Allahabad, he currently works as a software developer at Zopping, balancing his professional career with his commitment to competitive swimming.
His achievement reflects years of dedicated training and perseverance, placing Belagavi’s sporting talent on the international stage.
Six hours of daily training
Swatik trains at the Olympic-size swimming pool at the Suvarna JNMC campus in Belagavi and the Nettakallappa Swimming Centre in Bengaluru. He dedicates three hours each in the morning and evening to training.
His development as a competitive swimmer has been guided by mentor Umesh Kalghatagi and coaches Sharat Chandra, Ankush Kanbarkar, Akshay Sheregar, Ajinkya Mendke, Nitish Kuduchkar and Govardhan Kakatkar.
Swatik’s bronze medal at the Asian Para Games is a proud milestone for Mutaga village, Belagavi district and Karnataka, highlighting the dedication of an athlete who has pursued sporting excellence alongside his professional career.