Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, April 9: Fourteen players are leading the pack with three points apiece after the completion of the third round of the 56th Orissa State Senior Fide Rating Chess Championship in Puri, Thursday. The players sharing the joint top spot are- Johnson Sahoo, Nilsu Pattnaik, Rakesh Kumar Nayak, Baibhav Mishra, Sumit Kumar Banerjee, Soundarya Kumar Pradhan, Pranab Kumar Patra, Dasharathi Sahoo, Anisha Mishra, Ashriwad Swain, Manoj Kumar Panigrahi, Rajesh Nayak, Mahitosh Dey and Kamal Lochan Padhi.
Most of the top seed players made merry against their respective opponents. Pranab Kumar Patra, Ashirwad Swain, Rakesh Kumar Nayak, Rajesh Nayak, Baivab Mishra, Dasharathi Sahoo and Soundarya Kumar Pradhan scored facile victories against their respective opponents.
Pranab downed Soumya Ranjan Mishra, while Ashirwad prevailed over Anwesha Mishra. Rakesh overcame Susobhit Das and Rajesh outwitted Hrushikesh Rath. Similarly, Baibhav Mishra checkmated NN Behera and Dasarathi got the better of GC Mohapatra. Soundarya Kumar Pradhan also registered an easy victory over Ashok Kumar Pradhan.
Smaraki Mohanty and Saina Salonika could salvage tame draws against their respective opponents. Smaraki was held by Raj Santosh Panda, while Saina played out a drab draw against Om Mishra. However Rakesh Kumar Jena suffered a humiliating loss against Nilsu Pattnaik.
Sepak takraw team feted
Orissa State Sepak Takraw Association (OSSTA) president Satyabrata Ratha felicitated the national champions Orissa junior girls’ sepak takraw players and officials in a meet in Bhubaneswar, Wednesday. Also present in the occasion was Joydev MLA Sashi Bhusan Behera as the chief guest.
Training camp
Orissa State Sepak Takraw Association (OSSTA) will organise a sub-junior level training camp at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack starting April 15. “The summer camp will be organised to attract youngsters into the game and train them properly. All the sessions will take place during the morning hours,” stated OSSTA secretary Sahadev Rout through a press release Thursday.
