Karnataka, Bengal dominate Inter-School Table Tennis C'ships

Vijayawada : Karnataka and Bengal pocketed one gold, one silver and two bronze each to dominate the Inter-School Table Tennis National Championships 2017 here last evening.

Tamil Nadu also won a gold and a bronze to end their campaign on a high note while Rajasthan pulled of a sensational victory to clinch the last gold medal on offer.

Chinmaya Somaiya of Mayur School (Rajasthan) overcame a fighting Akash Pal of Uttarpara Amarendra Vidyapith (West Bengal) 3-2 (2-11, 12-10, 10-12, 11-5, 11-6) to clinch the coveted individual gold medal in the Senior Boys' category.

Poymantee Baisya of Makhla Debiswari Vidya Niketan (West Bengal) took home the crown in the Senior Girls' division. A member of the gold medal-winning Bengal team in the 2016 Sub-Junior Nationals, Poymantee upset Radhapriya Goel of DPS, Indirapuram (UP), a bronze medallist in the World Junior Circuit, 3-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-9) to hit the pinnacle.

In an all-Karnataka final featuring Sri Kumaran Children's Home, Sujan Bharadwaj beat Srikanth Kashyap to take the coveted individual gold in the Junior Boys' category.

Sujan, Karnataka's No. 3 in the Cadet Boys, got the better of Srikanth, the state No. 2, in a pulsating final 3-2 (9-11, 11-3, 11-5, 8-11, 11-7) to pull off a minor upset.

Hrithika S of PS Senior Secondary School (Tamil Nadu) whipped Vartica Bharat of St. Patrick School (Uttar Pradesh) 3-0 to clinch the individual gold in the Junior Girls' category. She easily won 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 to round up a good showing in the championship.