India sweep team events at ITTF tourney

The host country made a clean sweep of all gold medals on offer in team events at the India Junior and Cadet Open Table Tennis Championships here today.
The India B pair, propelled by Kotiyan, beat Saudi Arabia 3-1 at the Abhay Prashal here today to complete the sweep of team championship medals. Apart from the gold medals, the various teams of India won all the silver and bronze medals on offer.
With three team titles already in pocket, the Kotiyan-Ambedkar duo had to overcome the Saudi team members who had topped their group by beating India B earlier. But Kotiyan and Ambekar, learning their lessons, changed their strategy in the final to simply outwit the visitors. The Saudis had to be content with the silver.

Represented by Sreeja Akula and Seraha Jacob, India 'A' won the Junior Girls' Team title, the first title to be decided. India A finished ahead of teammate Riti Shankar and Selena Selvakumar, representing India 'C,' with the India 'B' Team duo of Shriti Vijay Amrute and Maria Rony in the bronze medal position in the round-robin league event. The Kazakh girls, with Malika Ilkhamzhanova and Yuliya Ryabova, on duty finished fourth.
The singles events begin from tomorrow with the finals slated for Sunday.
Results (Team championships): Cadet Boys: Final: India A bt India D 3-0 (Manush Shah bt Shaurya Pednekar 11-9, 11-2, 13-15, 11-9, Manav Thakkar bt Raegan Albuquerque 11-3, 7-11, 11-8, 12-10, Manav/Manush bt Shaurya/Raegn 11-7, 11-9, 11-9); Semifinals: India A bt India C 3-0 (Manush Shah bt Snehit Suravajjula 1-12, 13-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-6, Manav Thakkar bt Shivjit Lamba 11-2, 11-5, 11-3, Manav/Manush bt Snehit/Shivijit 11-9, 11-3, 8-11, 11-5); India D bt India E 3-2 (Raegan Albuquerque bt Anukram Jain 11-7, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8, Shaurya Pednekar lost to Parth Virmani 8-11, 6-11, 8-11, Raegan/Shaurya lost to Parth/Anukram 11-9, 12-10, 6-11, 12-10, Raegan Albuquerque lost to Parth Virmani 4-11, 11-8, 6-11, 8-11, Shaurya Pednekar bt Anukram Jain 11-3, 11-8, 11-2). Cadet Girls: Final: India A bt India E 3-1 (Srushti Haleangadi lost to Priyanka Pareek 14-13, 11-8, 3-11, 10-12, 7-11, Archana Kamath Girish bt Saundriya Pathak 11-4, 11-5, 11-3, Achana/Srushti bt Priyanka/Saundriya 11-7, 11-8, 11-5, Archana Kamath bt Priyanka Pareek 9-11, 5-11, 13-11, 11-4, 14-12);

Junior Boys: Final: India B bt Saudi Arabia 3-1 (Sanish Ambekar lost to Ali Alkhadrawi 8-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5, 4-11, Ravindra Kotiyan bt Abdulaziz Bu Shulaybi 8-11, 12-10, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, Ravindra/Sanish bt Alkhadrawi/Abdulaziz 11-9, 9-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-9, Ravindra Kotiyan bt Alkhadrawi 11-4, 11-3, 11-7; Semifinals: India B bt India C 3-0 (Ravindra Kotiyan bt Abhimanyu Mitra 11-4, 11-8, 11-7, Sanish Ambekar bt Siddhesh Pande 11-6, 11-8, 11-5, Ravindra/Sanish bt Siddhesh/Abhimanyu 6-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6); Saudi Arabia bt India A 3-1 (Abdulaziz Bushulaybi lost to Lalrin Puia 8-11, 6-11, 10-12, Ali Alkhadrawi bt Utkarsh Gupta 11-6, 11-4, 11-13, 11-5, Ali/Abdulaziz bt 9-11, 11-5, 4-11, Puia/Gupta 11-2, 11-5, 11-8, Ali Alkhadrawi bt Lalrin Puia 11-7, 11-4, 8-11, 11-9).

Junior Girls: India A (gold), India C (silver), India B (bronze).