Jakarta: India were assured of at least a bronze medal in the squash competition as the country’s top ranked squash player Saurav Ghosal will face compatriot Harinder Pal Sandhu in the men’s singles quartefinals at the Asian Games here. In women’s singles, both Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal Karthik also made it to the quarterfinals.
Results: (Men) Saurav Ghosal bt Mukthar Wakeel 11-2, 11-2, 11-1; bt Aslam Tayeb 11-5, 11-3, 11-13, 11-8; Harinder Pal Sandhu bt Ko Youngjo 11-8, 11-3, 11-5; bt Robert Andrew 11-4, 2-11, 12-10, 15-13. (Women): Joshna Chinappa bt Aribado Jemyca 11-2, 11-8, 12-10; Dipika Pallikal bt Rohmah Yeni Seti 11-6, 11-5, 11-5.
Missed chances
The Indian rowing contingent had a disastrous day at the Asian Games, having missed out on as many as four medals including in fancied events like men’s single sculls and double sculls at Palembang. Gold contender Dattu Bhokanal was a major disappointment as he finished sixth and last in the single sculls final, clocking 8:28.56s.
More heartbreak was in store in the double sculls where the combination of the seasoned Sawarn Singh and Om Prakash, favourites to win gold finished fourth.
NR not enough
Srihari Natraj twice bettered his national record (NR) in the 200m backstroke but could finish only sixth in the final while Virdhawal Khade ended last in the 50m butterfly in the swimming competition of the Asian Games here. Natraj moved to the final by improving upon his own national mark with a timing of 2:02.97s and further cut it down to 2:02.83 in the final.
Flying start
Aadil Bedi gave the Indian men a flying start with a bogey-free 69 that placed him and the team tied second at the end of the first round of the Asian Games men’s golf competition here. Bedi was one shot behind the reigning Australian Amateur champion, Keita Nakajima of Japan, one of the favourites. On the individual scores, Bedi is tied for second with local Indonesian Naraaje Emerald Ramadhan Putra, Malaysian Ervin Chang and Korea’s Cho Hoy-young, all of whom carded 69 each.
With Dubai-based Rayhan Thomas, the top-ranked Indian, carding one-under 71 after being three-under through 13 holes and Kshitij Naveed (73) the team was lying second, five shots behind the highly favoured Japanese.
Spikers lose
The Indian women’s volleyball team suffered their third defeat on the trot with a 0-3 drubbing at the hands of Kazakhstan here. The Indians lost 8-25, 19-25, 23-25 in 68 minutes.
