The Hindu : Harpreet powers into final

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 31, 2002

Sport

Sport - Judo

Harpreet powers into final

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, MARCH 30. Harpreet Kaur of Punjab capitalised on international Poonam Chopra's absence due to injury to power her way into the women's 57kg final on the opening day of the Tata Senior National judo championships.

Chasing her first major title, she has the daunting prospect of facing Sydney Olympian Brojeshwari Devi of Central Reserve Police Force in the title bout.

The hot, humid conditions in the Andheri Sports Complex indoor stadium is another adversity the Punjab judoka will have to overcome, having fought three bouts enroute to the final, one more than her experienced opponent.

Harpreet defeated Meenakshi (Chandigarh), Shilipa Teli (Maharashtra `B') and Sumedha (Bengal) before reaching the women's final against Brojeshwari, who did not have to expend energy while disposing of challenges from Sangita (Madhya Pradesh) and Sana Chanu (Manipur).

The bronze medals bouts in the same event will see Sangita pitted against Sumedha and Chanu taking on local girl Teli.

The Senior Nationals is organised by the Mumbai Judo Association. T.R. Doongaji, Managing Director, Tata Services and Tata Sports Club chairman, inaugurated the event.

Three-time international and India's representative at the European junior championships, Sandeep (Haryana) was the most impressive performer among the five other finalists on the day, stunning five-time winner Pankaj Sharma (Police Sports Control Board) in a preliminary bout.

He takes on Dinesh Kumar (Central Reserve Police Force) in the men's 73kg gold medal bout. The other finals will see Yashpal Solanki (Border Security Force), who stunned Vinod Solanki (PSCB) in the preliminaries, taking on Jaswant Singh (Punjab) in men's 81kg; Jaipal (Punjab) vs Pradeep Tokas (CRPF) in men's 90 kg; Landhoni Devi (CRPF) vs Rani Deepak (Punjab) in women's 63kg; Parvinder (CRPF) vs Kiran (Har) in women's 70kg.

The results:

Women: 57kg: Harpreet Kaur (Pun) bt Meenakshi (Chn), bt Shilpa Teli (Mah B), bt Sumedha (Ben); Brojeshwari Devi (CRPF) bt Sangita (MP), bt Sana Chanu (Man).

63kg: Rani Deepak (Pun) bt Sushila (Man), bt Nikita B. (Mah B); Landhoni Devi bt Neelam (Har), bt Deepti B. (MP), bt Shampa Das (Ben).

70kg: Parvinder (CRPF) bt Sandeep Kumar (Pun), bt Tina Alex (Ker), bt Maya Devi (UP); Kiran bt Shilpa K. (Mah B), bt Jagjit Kaur (CISF), bt Vandana S. (HP).

Men: 73kg: Sandeep (Har) bt Pankaj S. (PSCB), bt Jagbir Singh (CISF), bt Syed Ali (AP), bt Parasu Siddi (Kar); Dinesh Kumar (CRPF) bt Rajbir Singh (ITBP), bt Kuljinder S. (Pun), bt Ashok Kumar (BSF), bt Niraj P. (Goa).

81kg: Yashpal Solanki (BSF) bt Vinod Solanki (PSCB), Pankaj (J & K), bt Shirin Pujari (Mah A); Jaswant Singh (Pun) bt Shakti (Asm), bt Jayprakash (CISF), bt Manesh J. (Raj).

90kg: Jaipal (Pun) bt Parveen Kumar (BSF), bt Sanjay (Del), bt Brijlal (PSCB); Pradeep Tokas (CRPF) bt Suhas Chonkar (Mah B), bt R. Norman (Pondy). bt Jitender (ITBP). bt Jogesh Sharma (Mah A).

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