It was a Super Sunday for India on 8 April at the Commonwealth Games, with three gold medals being added to the tally from weightlifting, shooting, and table tennis.
The Indian women’s table tennis team had already created history by reaching the finals, but on Sunday, they exceeded expectations by beating favourites Singapore in the gold medal match. The star of the day was Manika Batra who won both her singles matches.
Ranked 58th in the world, Batra first beat the world number 4 player and then in the reverse singles tie, she clinched the gold medal with straight games victory.
This is India’s first gold medal in women’s team table tennis.
History was also created in the shooting arena when 16-year-old CWG debutant Manu Bhaker won a gold medal in the 10-metre air pistol final. It was an Indian 1-2 as Heena Sidhu clinched the silver.
But Bhaker’s journey to the gold is actually one for the ages.
She picked up the sport just two years ago, and made her international debut only last year. Despite that, she was the favourite for the medal in Gold Coast having beaten Heena and Olympic champions at the shooting World Cup in March.
In the event on Sunday, she was in the lead throughout, creating a games record in the prelims and also in the final. She won with a score of 240.9 while Heena Sidhu, the former world no 1, fought her way from the brink of elimination to bag a silver with 234.
The other gold medal in the morning session came courtesy Punam Yadav, who bagged India’s fifth medal in weightlifting. Competing in the category made famous by Karnam Malleshwari, Yadav lifted a personal best 222 kg to finish ahead of England’s Sarah Davies who managed 217 kg.
More amazing performances by women in the Indian contingent!
The hockey team beat reigning Olympic champions England 2-1. Gurjit Kaur and Navneet Kaur scored in the 42nd and 48th minutes to help the team all but seal a semis spot.
Thirty-five-year-old CWG debutant MC Mary Kom needed just a win to ensure herself a medal. And, well, she managed that with ease. Scotland's Megan Gordon was beaten 5-0 in the quarter-finals and Mary, who now faces Sri Lanka’s Anusha Dilrukshi in the semis on 11 April.
The Indian badminton team also picked up another victory and are now in Sunday's final. Playing Singapore, Saina Nehwal closed out the tie at 3-1 after the men’s double duo lost their match. The final will now be against Malaysia at 1:01 pm on Monday, 9 April.
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