Indian men and women topped their respective groups, with disciplined performances, in the preliminary stage of the table tennis competitions here on Friday.
In the men’s section, India, drawn in Group 3, took pole position in the four-team pool after it defeated Guyana 3-0, following up on similar 3-0 wins against Vanuata and Northern Ireland on Thursday.
The women’s team was hardly troubled as it topped Group 4, defeating Kenya 3-0 in the morning. The Indians had got the better of Nigeria and Barbados earlier.
Shuttlers sweep group
Third-seeded India completed its preliminary stage formalities in the mixed event of badminton with a clean slate on Friday. Drawn in Group B, India blanked Kenya 5-0 in its final match. K. Srikanth and G. Jwala defeated Patrick Mbogo and Mercy Joseph at 21-8, 21-8 in mixed doubles.
A similar pattern was witnessed in the rest of the matches as P. Kashyap won the men’s singles against Victor Munga 21-7, 21-8, P.C. Thulasi downed Lavina Maritns 21-4, 21-2 and R.V. Gurusaidutt and Pranaav Chopra thrashed Joseph Tithutu and Patrick Mbogo 21-5, 21-6.
P.V. Sindhu, partnering Ashwini Ponnappa, closed it by prevailing over Lavina and Mercy at 21-4, 21-5.
Ghosal, Dipika advance
Indian squash hopes Saurav Ghosal and Dipika Pallikal progressed to the pre-quarterfinals of the men’s and women’s singles respectively, even as their compatriots — Harinder Pal Sandhu, Mahesh Mangaonkar, Joshna Chinappa and Anaka Alankamony — bowed out of the competition.
In the round of 64, Ghosal defeated Paul Coll of New Zealand 11-4, 11-7, 11-7, while Dipika, too, had it easy against Charlotte Knaggs of Trinidad & Tobago 11-4, 11-2, 11-1.
Indian judokas Garishma Choudhary (women’s 63kg), Sunibala Hundrom (women’s 70kg), Vikender Singh (men’s 81kg) and Balwinder Singh (men’s 73kg) were unable to capitalise on the splendid showing of their compatriots — Shushila Devi, Navjot Chana and Kalpana Thoudam — exiting in the first stage itself.
Cyclists disappoint
The Indians continued their disappointing show at the Chris Hoy velodrome, as the trio of Manjeet Singh, Sombir and Amit Kumar finished in positions 16 to 18 in the qualifying round of the 4000m men’s individual pursuit.
In the women’s 3000m individual pursuit, Sunita Yanglem finished only 17th among 19 participants with a time of 4:07.61.
