TT: China eat into Indian medal tally

Mumbai, Oct 17 (IANS) A minor Chinese incursion was good enough to deprive hosts India a clean sweep of team gold medals at the India Junior and Cadet Open with the visitors making short work of India A in the junior girls to take gold in the $8,000 event at the NSCI Stadium here Thursday.

Two unranked Chinese — Yanmei Yang and Anqi Li — surprised India A’s Manika Batra and Suthirtha Mukherjee, ranked No.30 and No.60, respectively, to win the final 3-1. The other three categories saw the hosts winning the remaining three golds. All silvers also went India’s way along with a few bronzes.

Earlier, India A combine Abhishek Yadav and Sudhanshu Grover defeated Chinmay Vinod and Sanish Ambekar of India E 3-0 in the junior boys final.

Though the Cadet Boys’ and Girls’ golds went to India A, the Cadet Boys semifinal was won by India B defeating India C 3-1.

In Cadet Girls’, India A’s Calange Ravichandran and Sagarika Mukherjee beat India B’s Moumita Dutta and Sreeja Akula 3-1.

Results:

Junior Boys Final: India A bt India E 3-0 (Sudhanshu Grover bt Chinmay Vinod 11-9, 11-8, 11-6, Abhishek Yadav bt Sanish Ambekar 11-4, 11-5, 11-7, Grover/Yadav bt Sanish/Vinod 11-5, 12-10, 11-8).

Junior Girls Final: China bt India A 3-1 (Anqi Li lost to Manika Batra 5-11, 5-11, 11-6, 5-11, Yanmei Yang bt Suthirtha Mukherjee 11-3, 11-8, 11-8, Li/Yang bt Manika/Suthirtha 11-6, 11-4, 11-8, Yanmei Yang bt Manika Batra 8-11, 11-13, 12-10, 11-3, 11-5).

Cadet Boys Final: India A bt India C 3-1 (Birdie Boro lost to Lalhunhlua 4-11, 7-11, 8-11, Anirban Ghosh bt Lalrin Puia 11-9, 11-8, 11-5, Boro/Ghosh bt Lalhunhlua/Puia 11-8, 11-6, 11-6, Anirban Ghosh bt Lalhunhlua 11-5, 11-5, 10-12, 11-8).

Cadet Girls Final: India A bt India B 3-1 (Calange Ravichandran bt Sreeja Akula 6-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-8, Sagarika Mukherjee bt Moumita Dutta 11-3, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7, Calange/Sagarika lost to Akula/Dutta 12-10, 11-4, 6-11, 6-11, 7-11, Sagarika Mukherjee bt Sreeja Akula 11-6, 7-11, 11-9, 10-12, 12-10).