West Bengal Clinches Double Gold in Table Tennis at 38th National Games
Dehradun, 11 February. In an exciting display at the 38th National Games in Uttarakhand, West Bengal emerged victorious in both the men’s and women’s table tennis team events, securing gold medals in both categories. The men’s team defeated Maharashtra 3-0 in the final, while the women’s team overcame Maharashtra 3-1 to claim the top podium finish.
Women’s Team Final
The final kicked off with Sutirtha Mukherjee from West Bengal taking on Maharashtra’s Swastika Ghosh. In a hard-fought battle, Mukherjee secured the first point for her team, winning with scores of 11-8, 6-11, 14-12, 2-11, and 11-5.
In the second match, Maharashtra’s Diya Parag Chitale quickly retaliated, defeating Ayhika Mukherjee of West Bengal. Chitale dominated the match, winning decisively with scores of 12-10, 11-6, and 11-5, leveling the tie.
However, West Bengal regained momentum in the third match. Poymantee Baisya faced Maharashtra’s Taneesha Sanjay Kotecha and emerged victorious after a closely contested match, winning with scores of 11-8, 11-7, 6-11, and 11-6.
The Women’s Team final match saw Ayhika Mukherjee return to the table, this time against Swastika Ghosh. Mukherjee continued West Bengal’s strong performance, sealing the victory for her team with scores of 11-8, 11-6, and 13-11.
With this win, West Bengal claimed the gold medal in the Women’s Team Table Tennis event, showcasing their skill and determination throughout the competition. Maharashtra put up a strong fight but ultimately fell short in a nail-biting final.
Men’s Team Final
The men’s final saw West Bengal dominate Maharashtra 3-0 in a one-sided contest. In the first match, Anirban Ghosh defeated Jaish Amit Modi 11-7, 10-12, 6-11, 11-6, 11-4, giving West Bengal an early lead. Akash Pal extended the advantage by beating Regean Albuquerque 11-5, 11-8, 12-10. The victory was sealed when Sourav Saha defeated Maharashtra’s Chinmay Somaiya 11-7, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6, ensuring a clean sweep for West Bengal. With this win, West Bengal secured the gold, Maharashtra settled for silver, while Tamil Nadu and Telangana took home bronze medals.
Semifinals Results
In the women’s category, West Bengal outplayed Delhi 3-0 in the semifinals, while Maharashtra defeated Haryana 3-0 to set up the final clash. On the men’s side, Maharashtra eased past Telangana 3-0, whereas West Bengal battled past Tamil Nadu 3-2 in a thrilling encounter.
Doubles and Mixed Doubles Action
The doubles and mixed doubles rounds also witnessed intense competition. In the women’s doubles pre-quarterfinals, Kerala’s Maria Rony and Pranati P. Nair defeated Karnataka’s Tripti Purohit and Sahana Murthy 11-8, 11-1, 11-7, while Gujarat’s Jaiswal Namna and Oishiki Joradar overcame Uttarakhand’s Vidushi Joshi and Khyati Pandey 4-11, 8-11, 11-7, 6-11.
In the mixed doubles pre-quarterfinals, Tamil Nadu’s Preyesh S and Shriya A defeated Uttarakhand’s Saksham Mittal and Aditri Bhardwaj 13-11, 11-9, 11-5. Delhi’s Shivjeet Singh Lamba and Lakshita Narang outclassed Uttarakhand’s Aarav Negi and Lagan 11-4, 11-8, 11-5.
West Bengal continued its impressive run in mixed doubles as well, with Anirban Ghosh and Ayhika Mukherjee beating Uttarakhand’s Akash Gupta and Khyati Pandey 11-3, 11-7, 11-4. Another Bengal pair, Sourav Saha and Prapti Sen, triumphed over Uttarakhand’s Gautam Dhruvansh and Vidushi Joshi 11-7, 15-13, 11-4.
Delhi’s Sudhanshu Maini and Vanshika Bhagwan also showcased resilience by overcoming Maharashtra’s Siddhesh Mukund Pandey and Pritha Priya Vartikar in a five-set thriller (9-11, 9-11, 13-11, 11-9, 12-10). In the men’s doubles pre-quarterfinals, Bengal’s Sougata Sarkar and Rohit Chakraborty cruised past Uttarakhand’s Saksham Mittal and Aarav Negi 11-4, 11-5, 11-9.
With an exceptional performance in the team events and a strong presence in doubles and mixed doubles matches, West Bengal has established its dominance in table tennis at the 38th National Games. The upcoming individual events promise even more thrilling contests.