Sport - Sports : General

TN wins volleyball and kabbadi titles

Madurai: Tamil Nadu won two titles — volleyball and kabaddi — in the 33rd National Sports Festival for Women – group II, which concluded here on Friday. Delhi won the handball title.

Tamil Nadu regained the volleyball title after a lapse of 23 years toppling the defending champion, West Bengal 28-26, 25-11, 25-23 in a thrilling encounter.

West Bengal had in its ranks good spikers in international Thakur Moni Oram, Punam Chawdhary and Rajani and junior international Piyali Ghosh as setter in its ranks but the team lacked in backcourt defence and that led to its downfall.

The only international in Tamil Nadu ranks was Sajani, who was part of the junior India camp. Others were all junior State players. The team exhibited excellent team work and determination, backed by good defence blocking and spiking.

Sajani was the chief architect of Tamil Nadu’s victory as she put up a successful block many a time against Thakur Moni Oram and Punam Chawdhary.

Delhi won the Handball title defeating Punjab in 13-12 in a well-contested final, after trailing 6-7 at half time.

Both teams were tight in defence and no one could break it easily. However, Varun Negi and Sanjeeta managed to score 3 goals each for Delhi, while Supreet Kaur and Ramanjot Kaur scored 4 goals and 2 goals respectively for Punjab.

In the third place match Tamil Nadu beat Goa 9-3.

Tamil Nadu also won the Kabaddi title defeating Himachal Pradesh 22-19.

It was a keen contest between the teams, but towards the end when Tamil Nadu led 22-19 with hardly a minute to go, Himachal Pradesh refused to continue, protesting a referee decision. The officials tried to pacify them but in vain. The referee declared Tamil Nadu the winner. In the third place match Punjab beat Orissa 40-6.

In the semifinals, Himachal Pradesh beat Punjab 60-27, Tamil Nadu beat Orissa 32-14.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu