India cement top spot with 41 medals

Kathmandu/Pokhara, December 6

The badminton stars led the charge with yet another stupendous show as India’s athletes consolidated their position at the top of the medals table in the South Asian Games. India today won 41 medals — 19 gold, 18 silver and 4 bronze — to take their total to 165 medals (81 gold, 59 silver, 25 bronze). Nepal occupy the second place with a total of 116 medals (41 gold, 27 silver, 48 bronze). 

India won four gold medals in badminton today, completely dominating the discipline by mopping up two silver as well.

Former junior World Championships silver medallist Siril Verma lived up to his top seeding as he rallied from a game down to outwit compatriot Aryaman Tandon 17-21 23-21 21-13 in an all-Indian men’s final. In the women’s singles final, Ashmita Chaliha overcame a late surge from compatriot Gayatri Gopichand to take gold with a 21-18 25-23 win. In doubles, there was double delight for Dhruv, who emerged victorious in both men’s and mixed doubles. He paired up with Krishna Prasad Garaga to win the men’s doubles title 21-19 19-21 21-18 against Sri Lanka’s Sachin Dias and Buwaneka. In the mixed doubles, top seeds Dhruv and Meghana Jakkampudi eased past second seeds Sachin Dias and Thilini Pramodika Hendehewe of Sri Lanka 21-16 21-14 in the final.

On track

The track and field athletes, who led the Indian charge in the past few days, won 12 medals today, two of them gold, in the men’s and women’s shot put events.

In men’s shot put, Asian champion Tejinder Pal Singh Toor broke the South Asian Games record with a throw of 20.03m to win gold. He bettered compatriot Bahadur Singh Sagoo’s previous record of 19.15m, set in 1999. India’s Om Prakash Karhana was a distant second with a best of 17.31m. 

In women’s shot put, Abha Khatuwa took gold by throwing the iron ball to 15.32m. Compatriot Kachnar Chaudhary bagged the bronze with a throw of 13.66m. The country’s fencers also made their presence felt, clinching three gold and as many silver. Wangelmbam Thoibi Devi won gold in women’s foil while compatriot Radhika Prasad bagged the silver in a 1-2 finish for India. In men’s sabre, Karan Singh and Kumaresan Padma Gishonidhi clinched gold and silver. — PTI