Press Trust of India
Guwahati, Feb 15: Defending champions India maintained their supremacy in kabaddi by clinching gold in both the men’s and women’s events at the 12th South Asian Games, here Monday.
Indian men beat arch rivals Pakistan 9-7 in a closely-fought thrilling summit clash, while their women counterparts hardly broke a sweat in defending their gold medal which they had won in the previous edition by thrashing Bangladesh 36-12 in the final.
It was a repeat of the 2010 summit clash in both the finals and Pakistan and Bangladesh had to be content with a silver in men’s and women’s events for second time in a row.
Judokas shine
Meanwhile Indian judokas opened their campaign with a bang with seven gold medals and a silver to swell their overall medal tally. Bhupinder Singh (60kg), Jasleen Singh Saini (66kg), Manjeet Nadal (73kg) and Karanjeet Singh Maan (81kg) won the gold medal in men’s category, while Sushila Devi Likmabam (48kg), Kalpana Devi Thoudam (52kg) and Anita Chanu Angom (57kg) clinched the yellow metal in the women’s section.
The only one to lose out was Sunibala Devi Huidrom who lost to Phupu Lhamukhatri of Nepal in the 63kg final to settle for the silver.
Pak dethroned
In handball, India dethroned Pakistan in the men’s category, while their women counterparts also clinched the gold after beating Bangladesh 45-25 to stamp the home country’s supremacy in the discipline.
Indian men beat Pakistan 32-31 in a nail-biting summit clash.