Indians continue their domination

India won the junior boys and cadet girls team championship titles in the South Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships at Talkatora stadium on Thursday.

After winning team championships titles in both junior girls and cadet boys sections on Wednesday, Indian paddlers asserted their might in the junior boys and cadet girls categories as well to clinch top honours without dropping a game. India, thus, swept the team titles in the competition.

The junior boys’ team of Utkarsh Gupta, Lalrinpuia, Sanish Ambekar and Kotiyan Ravindra Tarnath won comfortably against Nepal (3-0) and Pakistan (3-0).

Similarly, cadet girls’ team comprising Archana Kamath, Jaiswal Varuni and Srushthi Helangadi won against Sri Lanka (3-0) and Nepal (3-0).

Coach Vijay Singh said that the team performed on expected lines. “We dominate in South Asian championships, but the real challenge lies in Asian Championships against the likes of China, South Korea, Japan,” said Vijay Singh.

Sri Lanka’s junior boys won silver while Pakistan and Maldives settled for the bronze. Sri Lanka also got the silver in cadet girls category while Nepal and Pakistan fetched bronze medals.

Apart from Indian paddlers' dominance across the competition, the story of the day was the bronze medal win of junior boys from Maldives. Maldives edged Pakistan 3-2 in a keenly fought contest.

Naseem Zeesth was the star performer for the Maldives as he beat Nazir Muhammad Abdullah 11-9, 11-5, 11-6 in the second singles and then accounted for Abid Iqbal for a 10-12, 15-13, 11-9, 14-12 win in the reverse tie. It was then left to Maizar Adam Zahir who triumphed over Nazir Muhammad 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 in the crucial fifth rubber to turn the tide in favour of Maldives.

Results: Junior Boys: India bt Pakistan 3-0 (Lalrinpuia bt Abid Iqbal 11-7, 11-8, 11-8; Utkarsh Gupta bt Obaid Syed Shah 11-9, 11-6, 11-9; Kotiyan Ravindra Tarnath bt Nazir Mohd Abdullah 11-5, 11-9, 11-6);  India bt Nepal 3-0 (Lalrinpuia bt Mahabir Choudhary 11-4, 11-7, 11-4, Sanish Ambekar bt Subodh Limbu 11-3, 11-4, 11-9, Ravindra Kotiyan bt Diken Maharjan 15-13, 11-3, 11-6); Maldives bt Pakistan 3-2 (Maizar Adam Zahir lost to Abid Iqbal 5-11, 5-11, 11-7, 9-11, Naseem bt Nazir Mohd Abdullah 11-9, 11-5, 11-6, Ahmed Maadh lost to Obaid Syed Shah 8-11, 7-11, 7-11, Naseem bt Abid Iqbal 10-12, 15-13, 11-9, 14-12, Maizar Adam Zahir bt Nazir Mohd Abdullah 11-8, 11-8, 11-9)

Cadet Girls: India bt Nepal 3-0 (Archana Kamath bt Sukriti Shreshtha 11-2, 11-6, 11-2, Varuni Jaiswal bt Dekshya Tamang 11-4, 11-2, 11-2, Archana/Srushthi Helangadi bt Dekshya/Sukriti 11-6, 11-8, 11-2); Sri Lanka bt Maldives 3-0 (Hansan Kapoogikiyana bt Laisa Ismail Fathuhulla 11-5, 11-6, 11-3, Imesha Desilva bt Aishath Nazim Rafa 11-7, 11-6, 11-2, Hansani/Thanushi Rodrigo bt Laisa Ismail/Aishath Nazim 11-8, 11-5, 11-3); India bt Sri Lanka 3-0 (Archana Kamath bt Imesha Desilva 11-4, 11-4, 11-1, Srushthi Helangadi bt Hansani Kapoogikiyana 11-3, 11-4, 11-8, Archana/Varuni Jaiswal bt Hansani/Thanushi Rodrigo 9-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-8); Nepal bt Pakistan 3-0 (Dekshya Tamang bt Hareem Ali Anwar 11-9, 11-6, 11-1, Sukriti Shreshtha bt Kainat Malik 11-6, 8-11, 11-4, 14-12, Dekshya/Sukriti bt Hareem/Kainath 11-9, 15-13, 11-4)