Guwahati:
The boxers hardly broke a sweat to scoop all the seven gold medals up for grabs, while shooters ended their campaign with an outstanding tally of 25 gold medals to ensure that India’s reign at the top remained unhindered at the 12th South Asian Games, here today.
On the penultimate day of competitions, the Indian contingent continued to be perched at the top with 299 medals (181 gold, 88 silver and 30 bronze).
Sri Lanka were second on the table with 181 medals (25 gold, 60 silver and 96 bronze, followed by Pakistan with 100 medals (11 gold, 35 silver and 55 bronze).
Besides, the boxers and shooters’ good show, the judokas grabbed seven gold and a silver in a near sweep while India also bagged both the yellow metals in men’s and women’s kabbadi as well as in men’s and women’s handball in a complete domination yet again.
The Indian women’s football team also won a gold medal, defeating Nepal 4-0 in the summit clash. Their men’s counterparts, however, lost to Nepal 1-2 to settle for a silver.
The boxers were the stars of the show today in Shillong with all the seven men in the final notching up mostly comprehensive victories.
Commonwealth Games silver-medallist L Devendro Singh (49kg) began India’s gold rush when he thrashed Pakistan’s Mohib Ulla at the SAI campus in North Eastern Hill University on the outskirts of the city.
The London Olympics quarterfinalist was adjudged the winner on a split decision of 2-1.
Next man in was 35-year-old former national champion Madan Lal (52kg) and he too prevailed over another Pakistani opponent in Mohammad Syed Asif to be adjudged 3-0 winner.
World No.2 and World Championships bronze-medallist Shiva Thapa (56kg) was the fan favourite of the day and he impressed the boisterous crowd to prevail over Sri Lankan W Ruwan Thilina.
Against the aggressive Lankan who was aiming for head butts, Thapa adopted a defensive strategy to avoid his initial blows.
World no.6 Vikas Krishan (775kg) put up a brave front, fighting through flu to down Pakistan’s Tanveer Ahmed.
The Olympic medal prospect prevailed over his opponent with some feisty uppercuts and was adjudged 3-0 winner unanimously.
Another from the Indian boxing hub of Haryana, 20-year- old Dheeraj Rangi, who had secured a silver medal at the World Military Games in South Korea last year, defeated Pakistan’s Ahmed Ali in the 60kg gold medal bout.
