Judokas claim seven gold on opening day

 Indian judokas opened their campaign with a bang with seven gold and a silver to swell their overall medal tally on the penultimate day of the 12th South Asian Games.

Bhupinder Singh (60kg), Jasleen Singh Saini (66kg), Manjeet Nadal (73kg) and Karanjeet Singh Maan (81kg) won the gold medal in men’s category, while Sushila Devi Likmabam (48kg), Kalpana Devi Thoudam (52kg) and Anita Chanu Angom (57kg) clinched the yellow metal in the women’s section.

Sunibala Devi Huidrom lost to Phupu Lhamukhatri of Nepal in 63kg final to settle for the silver.

But India missed a clean sweep after a heartbreaking loss of Sunibala Devi.

India dethrone Pak
India dethroned Pakistan in the men’s handball, while their women counterparts also clinched the gold after beating Bangladesh to stamp the home country’s supremacy in the discipline.

Indian men beat Pakistan 32-31 in a nail-biting summit clash that went down to the wire. The Indian men’s team thus exacted revenge of their loss in the 2010 edition summit clash in Dhaka.

The Indian women’s side, on the other hand, defended the title they had won in 2010 edition, by beating Bangladesh 45-25.

India finish second
India won a hat-trick of gold medals on the last day, but still finished second behind toppers Afghanistan in taekwondo.

Women duo of Latika Bandari and Margerita Regi and male Navjeet Man won gold in their respective categories as India concluded their campaign in taekwondo with five gold, three silver and two bronze medals.

Latika defeated Nepal’s Neema Gurung 16-8 in the women under-53kg final, while Margerita reigned supreme in under- 62kg by beating Nepal’s Ayasha Shakya with a single blow in the additional time after bout was locked at 8-8 points at the end of the the first three rounds.

In the men’s under-80kg, Navjeet outclassed another Nepali opponent Shaksham Karki to complete a triple treat.

Afghanistan edged out India to finish on top with six gold, one silver and one bronze.