From Lawn Bowls to Table Tennis, India shows golden form at the Commonwealth Games
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India at Commonwealth Games
It was hard not to feel nostalgic as the Indian national anthem was played twice, at two different arenas, in Birmingham on Tuesday. If the ladies showed large hearts, and guts and then crowned themselves in glory, the signs of emotions were palpable. Indeed, for Lovely Chaubey, Nayanmoni Saikia, Pinki, and Rupa Rani winning gold in the lawn bowls arena against South Africa was a terrific moment.
Moist eyes, hugs, tears, and the sight of gold medals around their necks made for compelling viewing, signaling the birth of new champions in a sport which few are familiar with. You could be sure, that in the coming days and weeks, people will be trying to see more videos of lawn bowls and how the Indian women clinched it, against all odds.
Indian men defend their Commonwealth Games title
A few hours later, the Indian men’s table tennis team came out firing with precision and aggression to defeat Singapore 3-1 and emerge champions. As Achanta Sharath Kamal, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Harmeet Desai, and Sanil Shetty stood on the podium with the gold medal around their necks and the Jana Gana Mana national anthem tune wafted through the air, you could see the lip sync.
Competing for India in the international arena is all about patriotism, zeal, and energy. All this was on view in the table tennis arena where the four players showed a great degree of professionalism, concentration, and commitment to seal the victory.
India began well with the doubles pair of Sathiyan and Harmeet competing hard against Yi Quek and Y Pang. There were certain moments of uncertainty as well against the Singapore tandem, but overall the Indian pair played with great understanding.
There was tension in store when seasoned pro Achanta Sharath Kamal lost in singles to Z.Chew. However, the Indian think-tank did well to keep the players cool. What followed in the next two matches with Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Harmeet Desai in their elements was sheer joy.
Sathiyan, a veteran of many battles in the past, was very smart against Y.Pang and won 12-10, 7-11, 11-7, 11-4 win over. The Singaporean had that lean, mean, and hungry look. His sunken eyes were dangerous, but Sathiyan overcame all that with a performance that was aggro personified. Competing against southpaws is not easy. Pang was playing with a bang in patches. The key, for Sathiyan, was to play his natural game.
The rallies were crisp and short. Sathiyan did not take too long to understand the geometry and trajectory of shots that Pang was unleashing. Sathiyan knew he had to utilize the energy being provided by fans from inside the arena, as they clapped and cheered. The rest of the men on the bench, too, were goading Sathiyan to come good.
Finally, when Sathiyan started unleashing magical shots, he left his opponent from Singapore dazed. The win in four games was crisp. Out came Harmeet Desai, again competing against a southpaw in Z. Chew. In the end, Harmeet’s win at 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 was very much akin to chewing up his opponent. There was speed and aggression. Perhaps, being in the driver’s seat from early on gave Chew no chance to bite back.
Hugs, high fives, and emotions were on view as the table tennis stars from India realized the import of winning a gold medal for India on Tuesday. After the failure of the women’s team, two days ago, it was important for them to finish this contest with a flourish.
Golden women of India
Back to lawn bowls, the Indian women showed what it is to compete with passion. In comparison to their South African rivals, they looked bulkier. Yet, when it came to sharpness while rolling the ball and keeping track of scores, the Fab Four ladies from India ensured they were not going to give up.
At stake was gold and glory. They knew this one medal could change a few things at home, at least vis-à-vis the Commonwealth Games. Lawn bowls have been a sport for the Englishwomen and other countries in the Commonwealth with a rich history. For India to gatecrash into the party was a big deal. All these ladies come from differing backgrounds. What binds them is that desire to win it for India. After all, Independence Day is around the corner.
Jai Ho.
Also Read: Commonwealth Esports Championships 2022: ESFI provides a grand send off to the Indian contingent
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S Kannan
(382 Articles Published)