Indian paddlers win 13 gold at South Asian Youth Table Tennis Championships

Indian paddlers dominated the South Asian Youth Table Tennis Championships in Shimla, winning 13 gold medals along with four silvers. The players delivered strong performances across singles, doubles and mixed events, reaffirming India’s regional supremacy in youth table tennis

Hyderabad: Indian paddlers reaffirmed their regional dominance at the South Asian Youth Table Tennis Championships in Shimla, a crucial qualifier for the Asian Youth Championships, delivering a near-flawless campaign across categories.

India secured 13 gold medals, including three team titles won earlier, along with four silvers, underlining its depth across age groups.

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In the Under-19 boys’ singles final, yet another all-Indian affair, Priyanuj Bhattacharyya defeated Punit Biswas 3-1 to bag the gold, pushing his compatriot to the silver medal. Earlier, Priyanuj Bhattacharyya and Punit eased past opponents from Sri Lanka and Nepal in the semifinals.

In doubles, M R Balamurugan and Mehan Senthil overcame a first-game setback to defeat Bangladesh’s Abul Hasib and Nafiz Iqbal and clinch the title.

In the Under-15 boys’ section, Aditya Das produced a commanding performance to beat fellow Indian Akshay Kirikara in the final. The pair had earlier dominated their respective semifinals, ensuring India’s hold on the title. The doubles crown also stayed at home, with Rishaan Chattopadhyay and Akash Rajavelu prevailing in a closely fought five-game encounter against Nepal.

The girls’ events mirrored this dominance. Jennifer Varghese rallied from a game down to defeat Ananya Muralidharan in an all-India Under-19 final, while Ankolika Chakraborty outplayed Aahona Ray to secure the Under-15 crown in another domestic showdown.

India completed clean sweeps in both girls’ doubles categories as well. Prisha Goel and Ditsa Roy captured the Under-19 title in straight games, while Sreejani Chakraborty and Tanishka Kalbhairav bounced back strongly after dropping the opening game to win the Under-15 final.

The mixed doubles events further highlighted India’s superiority. Priyanuj Bhattacharyya and Jennifer Varghese dominated the Under-19 final, while Aditya Das paired with Ankolika Chakraborty to seal the Under-15 title without conceding a game.