Badminton in Asian Games: P V Sindhu settles for silver

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Harpal Singh Bedi in Jakarta/ย  AMN Web Desk

India’s Ace shuttler PV Sindhu today setteled for silve medal in Asian games here. However no Indian had ever reached the final of a singles event at the Asian Games before Sindhu,who lost 13-21 16-21 to Chinese Taipei’s Tai in just 34 minutes. It is the first time that India has won two individual medals at the Asian Games with Saina Nehwal clinching a bronze earlier.

The first game was over in just 16 minutes. To negate Tai’s strong net game, Sindhu tried to push her back to the baseline in the second game. It got her points but she lost too many points due to unforced errors as some of the shots sailed over the lines. The strategy could have been more effective if she had not missed drop shots after pinning Tai to baseline.

Initially, Sindhu was tied with Tai at 4-4 but as the game wore on, the Taipei shuttler continued to tighten her grip over the contest. An un-returnable smash put her ahead 15-10. It was over soon with Tai earning a match point with Sindhu netting a shuttle at 15-19. Sindhu saved the first match point with a smash winner on Tai’s backhand. The Taipei ace sealed it with a drop shot winner.

Earlier, India bagged two Silver medals in Archery. Both the Compound Men’s and Women’s teams lost to South Korea in their respective Finals. The Men’s Final went all the way down to the wire as the trio of Abhishek Verma, Rajat Chauhan and Aman Saini lost in the tiebreaker. The Women’s trio of Jyoti Vennam, Madhumita Kumari and Muskan Kirar squandered its lead and ended second best.

 

With today’s 3 Silver medals, India now have 44 medals in its kitty – 8 Gold, 16 Silver and 20 Bronze – and they continue to be 9th in the table. China maintains its lead at the top, and Japan second.

The Indian Men’s Table Tennis team is now facing South Korea in the semi-finals. India had defeated Japan, 3-1 in the quarterfinals last night to assure the country its first-ever Table Tennis medal in the history of the Games.

In Athletics, Sprinters Hima Das and Dutee Chand have qualified to the Women’s 200 metres semi-finals. In the Qualification, while Dutee finished second with a timing of 23.37 seconds, Hima clocked 23.47 seconds to end seventh. Hima in 400 metres and Dutee in 100 metres had won a Silver each on Sunday.

The semi-final race will take place in the evening.

In Men’s 800 metres Final, Manjit Singh and Jinson Johnson will run for medals today, with Suriya Loganathan and Sanjivani Jadhav figuring in the Women’s 5,000 metres Final. The Indian Mixed 4 x 400 metres Relay team will vie for top honours. Javelin Thrower Annu Rani will also be in action in the Final.

In Boxing, Sonia Lather and Pavitra will play their respective quarter-final bouts.

In Men’s Hockey, India will face Sri Lanka in their final Pool A match. All India Radio will broadcast live commentary on the match from 2:25 PM onwards. Both, Men’s and Women’s teams have already booked a place in the semi-finals.

President Ram Nath Kovind has congratulated PV Sindhu for winning a Silver medal and Saina Nehwal for bagging a Bronze in Badminton at the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia.

In a tweet, Mr Kovind termed Sindhu and Saina’s accomplishments as historic, saying that it will be remembered for years. He said, both the shuttlers continue to inspire millions to bring laurels to the country.