India men and women beat Bangladesh in Kabaddi
Incheon: India made a resounding start in kabaddi competition of the 17th Asian Games with both the men’s and women’s teams thrashing Bangladesh in their opening preliminary round matches at the Songdo Global University Gymnasium here on Sunday. Indian women’s team was the first to get across their Bangladeshi counterparts as they trounced their neighbours 29-18 in a Pool A match. The men’s team then brushed aside the Bangladeshi men 30-15 to start their campaign on a positive note in Pool A, which also consists of Thailand and Pakistan. In the men’s team, India dished out a dominating show as they pocketed a huge 10-point lead after finishing the first half 16-6 ahead. Though the Bangladeshi put up a slightly better show after the break but still India managed to end the second half with a 14-9 advantage. The women’s match, on the other hand, rode on their brilliant first half were they zoomed to 22-5 at the interval. The Bangladeshi eves did turn the tables in the second half with a 13-7 scoreline but it was not enough to erase the first half deficit. The men’s team will be up against Thailand in their Pool A match tomorrow, while the Indian eves will take on Korea on Tuesday in their second and final Pool A tie. (PTI )
Poovamma wins bronze 400m
Incheon: M R Poovamma bagged a bronze in women’s 400m race as India swelled their medal count from athletics competition to three at the Asian Games here on Sunday. Poovamma clocked 52.36secs in the final race behind pre-match favourite Oluwakemi Adekoya (51.59secs) of Bahrain and Vietnam’s Thi Lan Quach (52.06secs) at the Inchon Asiad Main Stadium here. 24-year-old Poovamma, who was the second fastest off the block in the final today, could not touch her personal and season’s best of 51.73secs which she clocked at the National Inter-State Championships in Lucknow in June. Thi Lan, the second worst off the block, overtook Poovamma to take the second place behind the Nigerian-born Bahrain runner, who is also the Asian season leader. (PTI )
Sanam-Saketh reach doubles final
Incheon: Indian men’s doubles pair of Sanam Singh and Saketh Myneni assured India of atleast a silver medal in tennis while Yuki Bhambri and Divij Sharan missed out on a golden opportunity to make it 1-2 for the country blowing away two match points en route settling for a bronze. Sanam reached the title round combining with big-serving Saketh as the fifth-seeded Thai twins Sanchai and Sonchat Ratiwatana 4-6 6-3 10-6 in Super tie-break with the match lasting an hour and seven minutes. Bhambri and Sharan lost to Korean pair of Lim Yongkyu and Chung Hyeonas to end up with bronze medal. (PTI)
Lin shatters Lee’s golden dreams
Incheon: China’s Olympic champion Lin Dan shattered world number one Lee Chong Wei’s dreams of Asian Games gold on Sunday with a 22-20, 12-21, 21-9 victory in the semi-finals. The Malaysian’s final Asian Games ended in heartbreak as he pulled back from a game down against his long-time nemesis but faded in the decider. Defending champion Lin will face world title-holder Chen Long in the final after his Chinese stablemate easily beat Hong Kong’s Wei Nan 21-6 21-10 in the other semi. But Lee, 31, was left to ponder the ruins of what was undoubtedly one of his last chances to outclass Lin on one of the sport’s big stages. “He looked really confident in the third set and I could not follow him any more,” said Lee, who has announced this Asian Games will be his last. “I have done my best and I accept defeat. Now I’ll go back (home) and have a rest before the next tournament.” Lin said he had been distracted by a disputed line call on one of his returns in the first game, which was called in by the line judge, but ruled out by the umpire. “There was a misjudgment in the first game and that made me a little bit anxious, but I adjusted well,” said Lin, who said he relished any chance to line up against Lee.(PTI)