Sanathoi assures bronze in Wushu
Incheon: Wushu player Thoudam Sanathoi Devi assured herself of at least a bronze in women’s Sanda 52kg category after storming into the semi-finals on the third day of competitions at the Asian Games here on Monday. Sanathoi beat A Sangidorj of Mongolia in a 2-0 ‘Win By Round’ (WBR) verdict in a dominating performance in her quarterfinal contest here at Ganghwa Dolmens Gymnasium. The Manipuri will now meet Zhang Luan of China in the semifinals Today. Sanathoi will be the third Indian to have won a medal in wushu in the Asian Games while her medal will be the fourth won by the country in the history of multi-sporting event.
Indian eves thrash Thai in hockey
Incheon: Indian women’s hockey team started their Asian Games campaign on a winning note as they defeated Thailand 3-0 in their pool A encounter at the Seonhak Hockey Stadium here on Monday. For India, the goal scorer were Poonam Rani (15th minute), Vandana Kataria (39) and Deepika (53). The Indians completely dominated the game from the onset but their wayward strikers could score just three out of 22 shots they had during the match as against one by Thailand. Striker Rani Rampal got the six opportunities but she could not sound the board even once. They scored once each in the first, third and fourth quarters of the match. The Ritu Rani-led side took the lead in the 15th minute through a penalty corner and Poonam Rani was bang on target after a few unsuccessful attempts at the opposition goal. India takes on China on Wednesday. (PTI)
Indian women spikers lose to Japanese
Incheon: The disastrous run of Indian women spikers continued on Monday as they were blanked 0-3 by Japan in their second Group A preliminary Round match at the Ansan Sangroksu Gymnasium here on Monday. The Indian eves, who were thrashed by hosts South Korea in the opening game, were yet again no match for the Japanese as they crushed the Indian challenge 25-6 25-11 25-12 in a 56 minute tie. 17-year-old Nirmala was the best scorer for India as she contributed nine points with her fastest serve recording a speed of 68km per hour. 21-year-old Rekha also contributed four points for her team cause. For Japan, Mari Horikawa was the top scorer with a total of 10 points, while Shimamura Haruyo and Muranaga Nao contributed nine points each. India will next take on Thailand on Wednesday. (PTI)
Disappointing show in Air Rifle
ncheon: The Indian troika of Ayonika Paul, Apurvi Chandela and Raj Chaudhary finished a disappointing sixth in the 10m Air Rifle Women’s Team Finals of the 17th Asian Games here on Monay. World No. 8 Ayonika scored a creditable 417.7 but Apurvi Chandela (413.8) and Raj Choudhary (407.6) failed to come up with a better show and their combined total of 1239.1 left them at the sixth spot. China rode on Siling YI, Binbin Zhang and Liuxi Wu to clinch the gold with an aggregate score of 1253.8, while the Iran team comprising Najmeh Khedmati, Narjes Andevari Emamgholinejad and Elaheh Ahmadi won the silver. Kim Seola, Kim Gaenam and Mira Jeong earned hosts Korea a bronze with a combined score of 1241.6. Iran occupied the first two places with Najmeh Khedmati and Narjes Andevari Emamgholinejad winning the gold and silver. China’s Binbin Zhang won the bronze. (PTI )
India out of medal contention in tennis
Incheon: India were knocked out of medal contention in both the men’s and women’s tennis team events after losing their respective quarterfinal clashes to Kazakhstan in the 17th Asian Games hereon Monday. Both the teams lost by a similar 1-2 margin to the Kazakhs, seeded top in men’s and second in women’s competition. For the men, Sanam Singh opened the proceedings and went down 6-7 (5) 6-7 (3) to Aleksandr Nedovyesov in a gruelling match which lasted two hours. Yuki Bhambri was the next player in and he also endured a draining battle before losing 2-6 7-6 (6) 1-6 to Mikhail Kukushkin.(PTI )
Hagino wins 2 more gold, up to three
INCHEON: Kosuke Hagino won two gold medals in less than an hour to Monday as Japan continued to dominate the swimming events at the Asian Games on Monday. For the second day in a row, Japan swept the three men’s events while Kanako Watanabe broke China’s stranglehold in the women’s races by taking out the 200 metres breaststroke. China, led by their promising teenager Shen Duo, did win two golds to lift their tally to five after two days. Hagino took his personal haul to three golds when he followed up his stunning win Sunday’s 200 metres freestyle final by taking out the 200 metres individual. (UNI)
Shooter Bindra announces retirement
Incheon: India’s only individual Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra on Monday announced his retirement from competitive shooting, saying the 2014 Asian Games would be his last, but added that he would still give his last shot at the 2016 Olympic Games. Bindra, 31, will represent India in his pet event, the 10-mtre air rifle event, here on Tuesday. “Tomorrow will mark the end of my professional shooting life! I will, however, still shoot, compete as a hobby shooter, training twice a week,” Bindra, who won the gold in the Beijing Olympics, said.(PTI)