Date:13/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/13/stories/2006121311752100.htm

Sport - Sports : General

Rajesh wins bronze in Laser Radial Open

Special Correspondent

DOHA: Rajesh Choudhary won the bronze medal in the Laser Radial Open race, even as he finished fourth in the 12th and last race here on Tuesday.

The 33-year-old from Mumbai, Rajesh had finished on par with Seng Leong Koh of Singapore at the end of the 12th race, but lost the silver on the countback. Koh won the final race that gave him more firsts than the Indian.

Rajesh had finished first in the fourth and 10th races, and had secured couple of second places, apart from three third positions to net 33 points in all.

Lijia takes gold

After a difficult and competitive regatta, World champion Xu Lijia of China took the gold with a two-point lead, despite finishing third in the last race.

In the last edition at Busan also, Rajesh had won a bronze, and had won the gold in the Asian championship back home in Mumbai in 2004.

The Indian pair of Sanjeev Chauhan and Yadav Girdhari also reached the final of the match race and will face Singapore on Wednesday.

"We raced against Thailand and we had a three to one win. We face serious competition from Singapore. We can sail better in stronger winds. Singapore can sail better in lighter winds. If the wind is strong we have a better chance for the gold," said Sanjeev.

Saurav in last four

In squash, Saurav Ghosal beat compatriot Ritwik Bhattacharya 9-4, 9-0, 6-9, 9-7 to make the semifinals.

"It is going to be tough, and I will take it one match at a time,'' said Saurav.

"He played well and I am happy for him,'' said Ritwik, who had endured a nose injury to put up a good fight.

The women's challenge fizzled out in the quarterfinals, as Joshna Chinappa lost rather tamely 3-9, 1-9, 2-9 in 17 minutes to the second-seeded Wing Yin Chiu of Hong Kong.

Archers disappoint

In archery, World No. 4 Jayanta Talukdar lost 102-108 in the pre-quarterfinals to Chinese Wang Gang who had five 10s to the Indian lad's solitary bull's eye. Talukdar, who had won a World Cup this season and had been placed eighth at the end of the qualification phase, had beaten Baatarjav Dambadondog of Mongolia 98-93 in the first round.

The other Indian, Mangal Singh lost 98-102 to Tomokazu Wakino of Japan as he failed to register a single 10 apart from one bull's eye. He had beaten Manuja Kokikara of Sri Lanka 89-79 in the first round.

"We will try to win the team event. We have got good archers and we hope to shoot better in these conditions,'' said Mangal Singh.

In women's handball, India lost 20-43 to Thailand in the match for the seventh place.