Sourav Ghoshal clinched a historic bronze medal in men’s squash, winning first-ever singles medal at the games. Tejaswin Shankar won India’s first medal in track and field events after all the hiatus around his selection to the team.
Wednesday turned out to be another eventful day for India at the 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Birmingham, with four more medals being added on Day 6 of the quadrennial event.
Sourav Ghoshal clinched a historic bronze medal in men’s squash, beating England’s James Willstrop 11-6, 11-1, 11-4 in the third-place play-off. This was India’s first ever medal in the singles category in squash.
Commonwealth Games: India schedule, Results, Medals tally
Elsewhere, the India women’s cricket team led by Harmanpreet Kaur thumped Barbados in their final group match in the women’s T20, to book themselves a place in the semi-finals. The women’s hockey team too secured a last-four berth with a resounding 3-2 victory over Canada in their pool match. The men’s hockey team followed suit with a dominant 8-0 victory over the same opponents, Canada later in the day, to remain in contention for the semi-finals.
Here’s India’s Day 6 wrap at the Commonwealth Games:
Tejaswin wins bronze in high jump
India’s Tejaswin Shankar clinched a bronze medal in the men’s high jump on Wednesday, opening India’s account in track and field. Hours before M Sreeshankar and Muhammad Anees Yahiya take centre stage in the men’s long jump final on Thursday, Tejaswin bagged the bronze with a best effort of 2.22m. New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr took home the gold in the men’s high jump final, while Australia’s Brandon Starc won silver.
With the medal, Tejaswin became the first Indian to win a medal in high jump at the Commonwealth Games.
Tejaswin was not initially selected by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for the Games, despite achieving the 2.27m automatic qualification mark. Tejaswin eventually took AFI to court, filing a petition in the Delhi High Court, that ordered the AFI and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for his inclusion in the Indian squad for CWG.
AFI had stated Tejaswin would be included if the IOA had increased the athletics quo, but he was eventually selected as a replacement for quarter-mile runner Arokia Rajiv, who had failed his fitness test.
The story did not end there. The IOA had stated that the Commonwealth Games had not approved Tejaswin’s entry, but it later was revealed that the CGF had approved Tejaswin’s entry after two members of the Indian squad failed dope tests.
Sourav Ghoshal wins squash bronze
Indian squash player Saurav Ghosal bagged the bronze medal and his maiden singles title at the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham as he defeated James Willstrop of England in the men’s singles category on Wednesday.
The 35-year-old Ghosal defeated England’s Willstrop 3-0 to win India’s first-ever singles medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Ghosal played a commanding game against his English opponent for the bronze medal and won the match in a one-sided clash with a scoreline of 11-6, 11-1, 11-4.
The Indian got off a good start. He displayed some great strokeplay throughout the first game and clinched it by 11 – 6.
The second game started well in an exciting manner but it was Ghosal who had the upper hand. He dominated his English opponent in a one-sided second game by 11-1. It was a one-sided affair and Ghosal looked like a man on a mission who wanted to win the bronze medal at any cost.
Ghosal had a good start in the next game, though Willstrop kept up with his opponent. The Indian player kept his form and momentum to clinch the game and match by 11-4.
India beat Barbados in cricket to clinch semi-final berth
The India women’s cricket team outplayed Barbados in their final group match to secure a place in the semi-finals.
Having rode on Jemimah Rodrigues’ unbeaten 56 to help India post 162/4, the Indian bowlers responded aggressively to see off Barbados for just 62, with Renuka Singh scalping four wickets. The match was a must-win one for India, having thrashed Pakistan following an opening defeat to Australia that ended in heartbreak.
Judoka Tulika Maan wins silver
Indian judoka Tulika Maan gave her all but came up short against Scotland’s Sarah Adlington in the final to settle for a silver medal in the women’s 78kg category in the Commonwealth Games here on Wednesday.
Tulika, who won two fights earlier in the day to make it to the final, led for the majority of the bout before Adlington pulled off a decisive move, an Ippon, to win gold.
Adlington had Tulika on the mat with a forceful throw and the Indian landed on her back, ending the contest with 30 seconds remaining.
The silver was still a creditable performance from the 23-year-old from Delhi who gave India its third judo medal in the Birmingham Games.
The spectators too were largely in favour of the Scottish judoka and they went berserk after Adlington employed an Ippon.
Tulika, who lost her father when she was a two-year-old and is a single child of a widowed mother, is a former Commonwealth judo champion.
Weightlifter Lovepreet Singh clinches bronze
Indian weightlifter Lovepreet Singh added another medal to India’s tally after capturing a Bronze medal in the final of the Men’s 109 kg category at the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham on Wednesday.
He finished with a combined lift of 355 kg. It consisted of 163 kg in his final Snatch attempt and a best of 192 kg in the Clean and Jerk category.
Cameroon’s Junior Periclex Ngadja Nyabeyeu took home the Gold with a combined lift of 361 kg, which consisted of the best lift of 160 kg in the Snatch category and the best of 201 kg in the C&J category.
The silver medal went to Samoa’s Jack Hitila Opeloge who had a combined lift of 358 kg. It consisted of the best lift of 164 kg in the Snatch category and 194 in the C&J category.
Other notable results
The Indian women’s hockey team beat Canada in a pool match to book their spot in the semi-finals on Wednesday.
Goals from Vandana Katariya and Navneet Kaur gave India a formidable 2-0 lead, but Canada bounced back courtesy goals from Brienne Stairs and Hannah Haughan to make it 2-2. Lalremsiami though found India’s late winner to give them a3-2 lead and eventually the win, but she had to walk off the field in the game’s final minutes due to a collision.
Elsewhere, the Indian men thumped Canada 8-0, courtesy goals from Amit Rohidas, Lalit, Gurjant, Akashdeep, and Mandeep.
In boxing, Nikhat Zareen ensured herself a medal following a 5-0 win over Wales’ Helen Jones. Zareen will be in action in the women’s 50kg category on Thursday.
Fellow boxers Nitu Ghanghas and Mohammad Hussamuddin assured themselves of medals too, having reached the semi-finals in their respective categories.
However, Lovlina Borgohain and Ashish Kumar suffered exits from the Commonwealth Games.
With inputs from agencies
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