Amalraj, Manika win mixed gold as paddlers set for clean sweep

Paddlers pocketed a gold and silver medal in an all-Indian mixed pair final as they remained in course to make a clean sweep in the 12th South Asian Games here today.
The reigning national champion pair of Anthony Amalraj and Manika Batra overcame a stiff challenge from G Sathiyan and Mouma Das to post a 11-5 4-11 11-7 8-11 12-10 win in a duel that lasted 43 minutes at the JLN Indoor Complex.
Having already won men's and women's team events Sunday, the duo thus remained on course for a possible four gold medals in the singles and doubles finals tomorrow.

The paddlers will further add four gold and four silver medals to their kitty as they made it an all-Indian affair in the men's, women's singles and doubles earlier in the day.
India will thus conclude their campaign in table tennis with seven gold, five silver medals.
Earlier Sathiyan-Mouma got past the Lankan duo of Udaya Ranasinghe-Ruvini Kannangura 11-7 10-12 13-11 11-6, while Amalraj-Manika also dropped a set before emerging winner against Rohan Sirisena-Ishara Madhurangi of Sri Lanka 11-4 11-13 11-6 11-5.

Amalraj will take on G Sathiyan for the singles title, while in the men's doubles final Amalraj-Sanil Shetty face Sathiyan and Devesh Karia.

Manika will clash against five time former champion Mouma for the individual gold.
The doubles final will be a clash between the duo of Manika-Pooja Sahasrabudhe and Mouma-K Shamini.
Amalraj cruised past Rohan Sirisena of Sri Lanka without dropping a set as he won 11-9 11-4 11-3 11-7 for booking a final date against his compatriot Sathiyan for the men's singles title.
Sathiyan also advanced without dropping a set as he won 11-5 14-12 12-10 11-6 against Udaya Ranasinghe of Sri Lanka.
The duo of Amalraj and Shetty got the better of Sirisena and Chameern Ginge 11-8 14-12 11-9 in the semis as the they will clash against Sathiyan and Karia for the men's doubles gold.

Sathiyan-Karia defeated Lankan du of Ranasinghe-Nirmala Jayasinghe 11-7 11-4 11-4 in the other semifinal.
In the women's singles semis, National champion Manika dropped the second set against Ishara Madhurangi before winning 12-10 9-11 11-2 11-5 11-8.
In the other half, Mouma faced little resistance from another Lankan Ruvini Kannangura as she romped home 11-4 11-9 11-3 11-7.
The women's doubles were also a breeze as Mouma-Shamini eased past Nepalese Nabita Shrestha-Elina Maharjan 11-4 11-6 11-7, while Manika-Pooja outplayed Lankan duo of Ishra-Erandi Warusawithana 12-10 11-9 11-4.
All the singles and doubles finals will be held tomorrow.