Arjun Muralidharan is an Indian swimmer and he received the best swimmer title in the consecutive Open National Championships from 2004-2006. He became the first Indian swimmer to win a gold medal at a foreign national championship in the Speedo Eastern Canadian Championships held at Montreal.
Early Life of Arjun Muralidharan
Arjun Muralidharan was born in Pune, Maharashtra. Arjun Muralidharan started swimming at the age of five coached by his father G Muralidharan a former athlete, Ranji Trophy cricketer and Commander, Indian Navy. At a very young age of 9 he had already broken the age group national record in 50 meters butterfly. The younger brother of Arjun, Amar Muralidharan, is a former police officer working at the Border Security Force since 2002 up until 2014 under the sports recruitment program. He was also awarded the Director Generals citation in 2006 for his sporting achievements. He has trained in United Kingdom and Canada from 2006 to 2010 under reputed coaches. He has swum for Rouge et Or swimming team in Quebec in 2006, Stockport Metro Swimming Club in 2007 and Toronto Swim Club from 2008-2010.
Career of Arjun Muralidharan
Arjun Muralidharan is an Indian swimmer who has earned 15 National Titles. Arjun Muralidharan is widely considered as one of the greatest butterfly swimmers of India. He has also been the best swimmer in three consecutive Open National Championships from 2004-2006 and held all three (50, 100, 200 m) butterfly National titles for four years from 2004-2007 as well as all three (50, 100, 200 m) backstroke National titles in the year 2006. Arjun Muralidharan is also the first Indian swimmer to win a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games held at Bendigo, Australia, in 2004 and a silver medal in the Asian Indoor Games held at Bangkok in 2005. In the 2006 Asian Games held at Doha, Qatar, Arjun smashed his own national record in the 100 m butterfly.
Arjun has won several Canadian National Championship medals and a gold medal in the 200 m butterfly at Canada Cup 2008. He broke the Sub Junior Nationals Record held at Jaipur India in 50 meters Butterfly in the under 9 Age group with a time of 34.60 sec. The record still stands.
He became the youngest ever best swimmer at the age of 16 in the 58th Senior National aquatic championships held at New Delhi India. Arjun Muralidharan broke 3 championship records in the meet and won 3 gold medals and 2 silvers.
Training of Arjun Muralidharan
Arjun Muralidharan is trained at Toronto Swim club under former Munich Olympics 100 M Butterfly finalist Byron MacDonald and John Grootveld head coach at TSC.
Arjun Muralidharan in National Championships
In 2008 Quebec Cup held at Montreal Quebec Arjun became the first and only Indian swimmer to win a gold medal at a foreign long course National Championship in the 200 meters butterfly clocking a personal best of 2:02.57. In 2008 Canada Cup, Arjun Muralidharan won a bronze medal and broke the short course 200 butterfly national record clocking 1:59.45 and becoming the first Indian swimmer to break the 2 minutes barrier in the event. The record still stands.
Arjun Muralidharan in Commonwealth Games
Arjun Muralidharan also participated in the 2010 Commonwealth Games held at New Delhi India swimming the 50 and 100 meters butterfly events.
Personal Life of Arjun Muralidharan
Arjun Muralidharan is also trained in Martial Arts and is a 1st dan (shodan) black belt in Goju Ryu Karate and a first kyu brown belt in Shidokan. In his spare time he coaches young children at Bluewater Swim Academy alongside his father and older brother at Pune. He has endorsed Sportswear Company and is also sponsored by Siddhi Health Club located at Kothrud, Pune in Maharashtra where he has done his strength training since 2002.
