Asian Games: Bhavani Devi bows loses to superior Chinese rival in quarter-final

Bhavani Devi's impressive run at the Asian Games came to an end in the quarterfinals, suffering a 7-15 loss

Hangzhou: Star Indian fencer Bhavani Devi’s impressive run at the Asian Games came to an end in the quarterfinals, suffering a 7-15 loss to local favourite Yaqi Shao in the women’s sabre individual category here on Tuesday.

One win shy from a maiden Asian Games medal, Bhavani Devi managed three touches in the first period of the quarterfinals.

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But her Chinese opponent was superior as she took an 8-3 lead and needed just seven more touches to qualify for her successive semi-final at the continental showpiece. Bhavani managed four more touches in the second period but that proved to be insufficient.

The fencer, who makes 15 touches first in a knock-out round, is adjudged winner and Shao sealed the issue in the second period without breaking a sweat.

Semifinalists are assured of at least a bronze medal in fencing, and the Tokyo Olympian would consider herself ‘unlucky’ pitted against the 2018 Asian Games silver medallist in the last-eight.

In pursuit of a maiden Asian Games medal in fencing, the 30-year-old out-skilled all her five opponents to top the pool that gave her a bye to the pre-quarters where she overwhelmed Tonkhaw Phokaew 15-9.

She started off by beating her Singapore rival Juliet Jie Min Heng 5-2, and then out-skilled Saudi Arabia’s Alhsna Alhammad 5-1.

Against Karina Dospay, the Asian Championships bronze medal-winning Indian prevailed 5-3.

In her last two pool fixtures, she easily beat Uzbekistan’s Zaynab Dayibekova and Roksana Khatun of Bangladesh by identical 5-1 margins to top the pool.

The 30-year-old, who became the first Indian fencer to make the Tokyo Olympics, will face Thailand’s Tonkhaw Phokaew in the round of 16.

India will next compete in epee women and men foil team events.