Vikas Pandey signs off in style

By Our Sports Reporter

AMBALA, AUG. 23. It was an apt finish for Vikas Pandey. The foremost gymnast on view, collected his fifth gold medal as the curtains were brought down on the 41st senior National gymnastics championship at the War Heroes Memorial Gymnasium here on Wednesday.

The Allahabad youngster swelled his medal tally as his effort of 8.750 on the horizontal bar fetched him the top standing. This was Pandey's third win in the individual apparatus.

Eighteen-year old Pandey, a sub-inspector with CRPF, pushed Kuldeep Kumar to the second spot by 1.75. Kuldeep, who works with Punjab police, had earlier finished third in the all- round championship.

The third spot was claimed by Mohit Yadav, who scored 8.4000. Mahendra Singh Dev, who won on the Roman rings, was a let down as he fell on the floor during one of his aerials. The Railway employee was out of the top six bracket.

On a day when only two events took place, Chanchala continued her assertion in the absence of state-mate Tumpa Debnath. The Howrah district girl prevailed on the floor exercise, in which she managed 8.350.

Railways' Runa Das was behind Chanchala by 0.1, while, Jhuma Bag took the bronze at 8.225. Defending champion Mansi Topkar was fourth along with Sundari Mondal at 8.175.

Later, Pandey and Tumpa Debnath were presented with Rs.1.000 each for being the best all-round gymnast in the men and women's sections, respectively.

On Tuesday night, Pallavi Chemburkar, who was adjudged the overall champion in the rhythmic events, earlier garnered two more gold in the individual events hoop and ball.

The results: Men: Horizontal Bar: 1. Vikas Pandey (UP) 8.750, 2. Kuldeep Kumar (Pun) 8.575, 3. Mohit Yadav (UP) 8.400, 4. Sat Pal (Ser) 8.050, 5. Sudip Jana (Rly) 8.025, 6. Naresh Kumar (Pun) 7.875.

Women: Floor: 1. Chanchala Chakraborthy (Ben) 8.350, 2. Runa Das (Rly) 8.250, 3. Jhuma Bag (Ben) 8.225, 4. Mansi Topkar (Mah) and Sundari Mondal (Rly) 8.175, 6. P. Saritha (AP) 7.800.

Individual Rythmic events: Rope: 1. Rajni Sharma (Pun) 7.325, 2. Pallavi Chemburkar (Mah) 7.075, 3. Sonia Sharma (J&K) 7.050.

Hoop: 1. Pallavi Chemburkar (Mah) 8.325, 2. Rajni Sharma (Pun) 7.025, 3. Amrutha Joshi (Mah) 6.975.

Ball: 1. Pallavi Chemburkar (Mah) 8.0, 2. Amritha Hazari (Del) 7.325, 3. Sonia Sharma (J&K) 7.30.

Ribbon: 1. Sonia Sharma (J&K) 8.30, 2. Rajni Sharma (Pun) 7.375, 3. Preeti Lara (Ben) 7.350.

Aerobics: Men: 1. Y. Ranjan (Ser) 18.20, 2. W. Hitler Singh (Har) 15.85, 3. Aditya Joshi (Mah) 15.30.

Women: 1. Anita Panakar (Kar) 16.55, 2. Sonia Thandriyal (Har) 16.35, 3. Viashali Narayane (Mah) 15.45.

Mixed Pairs: 1. Akash and Jasdeep (Har) 13.95, 2. Sandeep Gaekwad and Gayatri Khirdikar (Mah) 13.80, 3. Kuldeep Singh Batha and Amita Sohal (Chd) 12.65.

Winners all - (from left) Chanchala Chakraborthy (Bengal), Tumpa Debnath (Bengal), Pallavi Chemburkar (Maharashtra) and Vikas Pandey (Uttar Pradesh) - in the 41st senior National gymnastic championship in Ambala on Wednesday.

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