India dominated the track and field events of the 13th South Asian Games (SAG) by clinching 10 medals, including three gold, on the first day of athletics competition here on Tuesday.
Archana Suseendran (women’s 100m), M. Jashna (women’s high jump), Sarvesh Anil Kushare (men’s high jump) and Ajay Kumar Saroj (men’s 1500m) won a gold each.
Archana clocked 11.80 seconds to emerge the fastest woman, leaving behind Sri Lankans Thanuji Amasha (11.82) and Lakshika Sugand (11.84), who won the silver and bronze respectively. In women’s high jump, Jashna cleared 1.73m for the gold while Rubina Yadav bagged a bronze with an effort of 1.69m. Kushare cleared 2.21m to win the men’s high jump gold while compatriot Chetan Balasubramanya claimed the silver with an effort of 2.16m.
Saroj won the men’s 1500m gold in a time of 3.54.18 while Ajeet Kumar took the silver by clocking 3.57.18. The bronze went to Tanka Karki (3.50.20s) of Nepal. Kavita won the women’s 10,000m silver in 35m 7.95s.
Earlier, Chanda (4.34.51) won the silver in women’s 1,500m while compatriot Chitra Palakeez (4.35.46) claimed the bronze. Sri Lanka’s Uda Kuburalage (4.34.34) won the gold.
A sweep
Indian shooters swept all the medals on offer in the women’s 10m air rifle event, with Mehuli Ghosh winning the gold with a score better than the World record. Mehuli’s effort, however, will not be considered as a World record as the SAG’s results are not recognised by the ISSF for the purpose of records.
India also won the team gold in the 10m air rifle event.
The 19-year-old Mehuli scored 253.3 in the final, 0.4 more than Apurvi Chandela’s current World record of 252.9. Shriyanka Sadangi took the silver (250.8) while Shreya Agrawal (227.2) clinched the bronze.
Paddlers shine
The Indian men’s and women’s table tennis teams claimed gold medals after defeating Nepal and Sri Lanka 3-0 in the respective finals.
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were awarded a bronze each in the men’s event. Among women, Nepal and Maldives got a bronze each.
Santoo Shrestha gave a tough time to A. Amalraj before the Indian rallied to win 12-10, 14-16, 11-5, 11-8 to put his team in the lead. Soumyajit Ghosh then accounted for Shiva Sunder Gothe 11-3, 11-2, 12-10 and Harmeet Desai finished it off with a 11-4, 11-4, 11-8 win over Purushottam Borjacahrya.
In the women’s final, Sutirtha Mukehrjee beat Sri Lanka’s Ishara Madhurangi 11-9, 11-7, 11-3 and Krittiwika Sinha Roy won 11-6, 11-4, 11-2 over Erandi Waruswithana before Sreeja Akuka accounted for Hansini Piumila 11-5, 11-5, 11-3.
Double delight
India won both the men’s and women’s volleyball titles on Tuesday.
India defeated Pakistan 20-25, 25-15, 25-17 and 29-27 in a hard-fought men’s summit clash to defend the title while holders India women had to toil hard to beat Nepal 25-17, 23-25, 21-25, 25-20, 15-6.
