Indian women clinch historic gold in Badminton Asia Team Championships
Shah Alam (Malaysia) (PTI): Anmol Kharb yet again performed when it mattered, winning the decisive fifth rubber to lead Indian women to a historic Badminton Asia Team Championships title with a tight 3-2 victory over a depleted Thailand, here Sunday.
The young sprightly group of Indian women's team, led by seasoned PV Sindhu, defied all expectations to come up trumps against two-time bronze medallists Thailand.
It is first-ever major title for Indian women in Team championships and provides a big boost to the team ahead of the Uber Cup, which is set to be held in Chengdu, China from April 28 to May 5.
India had won two medals in the past with the men's team claiming bronze medals in the 2016 and 2020 editions.
"It is a great moment for Indian badminton. I give a lot of credit to these youngsters. They displayed great spirit, they were supporting each other and the atmosphere was just like it was when India won the Thomas Cup. So this is a special moment for India," former India coach Vimal Kumar told PTI.
Though like most of the teams in the competition, Thailand were not at full strength, but they still had higher-ranked players in their side.
Thailand were without their top two singles players -- world No. 13 Ratchanok Intanon and Pornpawee Chochuwong, who is ranked 16th in the world.
Two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu, who is returning to action after a four-month injury-forced break, provided India a confident start.
The former world champion was back to her aggressive best as she rode on her power and placement to outclass world number 17 Supanida Katethong 21-12 21-12 in the first singles and hand India a 1-0 lead.
World No. 23 Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand continued their splendid run, dishing out another gritty performance to shock world number 10 pair of Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Pra Jongjai 21-16 18-21 21-16 to put India in the driver's seat.
Playing the second singles against world ranked 18 Busanan Ongbamrungphan, expectations were high from Ashmita Chaliha after her stunning win against former world champion Nozomi Okuhara on Saturday.
The Indian, who had defeated Busanan during the Singapore Open in 2022, stayed in the match till 14-14 in the second game but a string of unforced errors thereafter cost Ashmita dearly as she went down 11-21 14-21 against her experienced rival.
It was going to be a tall task for young Shruti Mishra and Priya Konjengbam, the senior national champions, to tame world number 13 combination of Benyapa Aimsaard and Nuntakarn Aimsaard and the world number 107 Indian duo expectedly lost 11-21 9-21 in just 29 minutes.
The tie evenly poised at 2-2, Anmol again shouldered the responsibility of taking India through and she did that with a dominating 21-14 21-9 victory over world number 45 Pornpicha Choeikeewong in the deciding third singles.
Soon after the win, the entire squad got into a huddle to lift Anmol, celebrating the magnificent win at the Setia City Convention Center
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12-year-old boy sexually assaulted by two classmates, class 10 student in Faridabad
Faridabad (PTI): A student of class 8 here was allegedly sexually assaulted for several days by two of his classmates and a student of class 10, police said on Saturday.
Based on a complaint of the victim's father, police have registered a case against the three juveniles under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act at Saran Police Station.
According to police, the 12-year-old boy, studying in a government school, was leaving the premises to go home when he was lured by two of his classmates and another student of class 10 to the school bathroom, where they sexually assaulted him.
Following this, the accused students allegedly assaulted him for several days.
The boy's father noticed changes in his son's behaviour and asked him about it. He narrated his ordeal to the father who then approached the police.
Two of the accused students live in the same village as the victim, police said.
A senior police officer said, "We have initiated the necessary legal procedures. Counselling is being provided to the victim, and the entire matter is being investigated seriously. Further action will be taken based on the investigation."
