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Shivani Kataria was hopeful of being named in the Indian swimming squad for her maiden Olympics, but while waiting for her flight back home to India after competing in the final Asian qualification event in Hong Kong in the first week of July, she could have been forgiven for not having been in the best of moods.The 18-year-old had boldly made a bid for the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle. Though she was competitive in each category, she missed the Olympic qualifying time by significant margins; her timing of 2:10.42 to complete the 200m freestyle was almost 12 seconds off the qualification mark.Yet, the fact that she was the only Indian woman who competed at the 2015 World Championship in Kazan, Russia eventually made it a formality for her name to be approved under the Universality rule alongside Sajan Prakash in the mens division. The call was made to Prakash, who relayed the information to Shivani.I just couldnt believe it, remembers Shivani. I couldnt sleep on the flight back home. I just kept thinking about it.Shivani, who is looking forward to meeting one of her idols Michael Phelps in Rio, would do well to heed the advice of Nisha Millet, the last Indian woman to have competed in the 200m freestyle at the Olympics 16 years ago.The Olympics can be quite overwhelming, especially when you are a teenager, says Millet, who like Shivani, was just 18 when she headed to Sydney for her maiden Olympics, little knowing that a persistent back problem would make it her last. Guys like Abhinav (Bindra) and Leander (Paes) are used to it in their fifth and seventh outing, but the media attention can be quite a lot to deal with. I won my heat with ease, but couldnt make the semi-finals. I attended the opening ceremony, but I skipped the marchpast since the swimming event was one of the first to be held. Yet, I think I allowed the pressure to get to me.Haryana-born Shivani, who, at the age of six, began swimming at the Baba Gang Nath swimming centre in Delhi during a summer camp, is quite self-assured and driven about her immediate goals.I have to record my best time there, says Shivani of Rio. No Indian has ever made the semis. I want to try and be the first.National coach Pradeep Kumar is a bit more cautiously optimistic, while giving a positive appraisal of Shivanis abilities. Shes got a good technique, and her physical fitness levels are good. She gets her body into a good position and shes blessed with a good kick. She can go faster because she can get stronger still, says Kumar, who has been working with Shivani over the past year, which has included her stint in Phuket along with Prakash. Our swimmers naturally have a slightly inferior technique, compared with the rest of the globe. Secondly, our swimmers and coaches need to have greater scientific assessment of the support that they need.Millet jokes that shes always been a bit scared of Shivani, as she is the first woman swimmer who has challenged and overtaken her 14-year-old national record, but adds a valuable advice that she has passed on to someone she says is carrying the torch forward for womens swimming alongside Damini Gowda of Karnataka.Indian swimmers are habituated to training in the evenings, because thats when finals normally take place, says Millet. But in reality, you cannot afford to let your timings drop even by a second, because that can make the difference between qualifying for a semis and not making it. I have advised her to train at half-past four or five in the mornings as well.On her part, Shivani is aware of the?importance of serving as a role model for younger swimmers, especially following an unpleasant personal experience.My state of Haryana hasnt been very supportive of girls in sport, especially swimming. Once somebody important came up to me and said that swimming costumes dont look good on girls. She further said that I shouldnt be swimming for too many years. I didnt like the fact that their thinking is like that, says Shivani. After me, now theyll tell their children to take up the sport. Our state doesnt have a 50m swimming pool, which I want to help build.Rio should be just the beginning, as Kumar and Millet both agree, for someone who will have at least six or eight years ahead of herself at the highest level. Kumar wants university sport in India to emulate the American model, and thinks that India must try and get both Prakash and Shivani to enroll in universities abroad on swimming scholarships.Shivani, who has been working with a psychologist over the past few months, echoes her coachs thoughts about the importance of mental toughness. I think mental fitness is even more important than physical fitness, says Shivani. For most people, it might be a 50-50 ratio, but for me it is more 60-40. If you win the mental battle, then physically you will do what your brain says.It is this mental strength that Shivani Kataria will bank upon to realise not just her goals, but those for a very exclusive club of Indians to have made it to the Olympics, beginning with Arati Saha and Dolly Nazar in 1952, through to Sangeeta Puri, Nisha Millet and Shikha Tandon in the last twenty years.As coach Pradeep Kumar says, If the mind works, everything just falls in place. Fake Stars Jerseys . 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CHICAGO -- Patrick Kane keeps finding new ways to score big goals -- and the Chicago Blackhawks keep on rolling.Kane, the reigning NHL scoring leader and MVP, scored a spectacular tiebreaking goal late in the second period and the Blackhawks beat Montreal 3-2 on Sunday night, handing the league-leading Canadiens just their second regulation loss of the season.Kane snapped a 2-all tie with 3:37 left in the second to cap a terrific individual effort. He skated down the slot, fooled Jeff Petry with a move and chipped a shot past Al Montoya -- while falling to the ice with Max Pacioretty checking him closely from behind.So where does that one rate in Kanes growing highlight reel library?It was a different one, thats for sure, Kane said. I dont know if Ive scored going to the ground like that. Pretty cool, for sure.That had the wow factor all over it, Chicago coach Joel Quenneville added. All of a sudden he makes a play with a guy draped all over him, makes a great shot falling to the ice.Even Montoya was impressed.Theres not many guys that can make that play, Montoya said. Hes one of two, and I think (former Red Wings star Pavel) Datsyuk is already gone. Heck of a goal.Marian Hossa added his team-leading ninth and rookie Gustav Forsling scored his first in the NHL as Chicago improved to 9-0-2 in its last 11 and ended Montreals four-game winning streak. The Blackhawks havent lost in regulation since Oct. 21 at Columbus.(The Canadiens) are 13-1-1 coming into tonight, so its a big win for us, Kane said. Good measuring stick. We know they played back-to-back, but we took it to `em for the most part.Shea Weber and Andrei Markov scored for Montreal in a matchup of conference leaders. The Canadiens beat Detroit 5-0 in Montreal on Saturday night while the Blackhawks rested after losing 3-2 to Washington in overtime on Friday.Both goalies faced teams from their hometowns. Montoya, the Canadiens backup, made 32 saves in his first appearance since a 10-0 loss at Columbus on Nov. 4.Chicagos Corey Crawford, from Montreal, stopped 21 shots and came up big late in the game to preserve the lead. He denied Andrew Shaw on a rebound with a sliding pad save with 6:50 left and stopped Alex Galchenyuk from the edge of the crease with 20 seconds to go.We didnt have the same energy were used to having, Montreal coach Michel Therrien said. We made that push at the end aand Crawford made some solid saves for them.ddddddddddddThe 37-year-old Hossa has goals in four straight games and eight of nine. His 508th career goal on Sunday moved him past Canadiens icon Jean Beliveau into 40th place on the NHLs all-time list.Artem Anisimov, who entered tied with Kane for the Blackhawks points lead with 17, returned after missing one game with an upper-body injury.Montreal forward Andrew Shaw, a member of Chicagos 2013 and 2015 Stanley Cup teams, played his first game at the United Center following a salary cap-forced trade to the Canadiens last summer. Shaw got a standing ovation from the crowd of 21,762 during a video tribute in the first period.Forsling opened the scoring with 7:54 remaining in the first on a screened shot from the left point. With several players in front, the drive sailed past Montoyas glove.The Canadiens went ahead with goals 1:41 apart and on consecutive shots early in the second.Weber tied it 1-1 just 59 seconds into the period with a fluke power-play goal. His shot from from a sharp angle -- almost in the right corner -- deflected off Chicago defenseman Michal Kempnys stick and over Crawfords shoulder.Markov put Montreal ahead at 2:40 on a high shot from the slot with Chicagos Brian Campbell and Montreals Paul Byron screening in front.Hossa tied it 2-all with 8:31 left in the second. After Montoya made a left pad save on Nick Schmaltzs shot from the blue line, Hossa popped in the rebound from the right edge of the crease.After Kane put Chicago ahead, the Blackhawks dominated and checked smartly in the third to hold on -- and Crawford came through at the end.Game notes Therrien coached his 500th game with the Canadiens. Hes guided Montreal over two stints, sandwiched around 272 games with Pittsburgh. ... Pacioretty was struck in the mouth by a puck that deflected off Kempnys skate with 36 seconds left in the first, but returned for the second period. ... Chicago F Tyler Motte missed his third game with a lower-body injury. ... Montreal scratches were C Brian Flynn and F Greg Pateryn. Chicago sat out F Jordin Tootoo and D Michal Rozsival.UP NEXTCanadiens: Host Florida on Tuesday night.Blackhawks: At Winnipeg on Tuesday night to start a season-high seven-game road trip. ' ' '