Indian Sports News Wrap: March 5

Here are all the major updates and results from Indian sports on Tuesday, March 5.

With the trials doubling up as the Olympic trials for Paris, Angad, who has the world record 60 out of 60 in the finals, enhanced his chances with a fine performance. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRNAGEMENT

SHOOTING

National shotgun trials: Angad tops men’s skeet

Olympian Angad Vir Singh Bajwa topped men’s skeet with 59 out of 60, after shooting 121 in qualification, in the third National shotgun selection trials at the New Moti Bagh Gun Club.

With the trials doubling up as the Olympic trials for Paris, Angad, who has the world record 60 out of 60 in the finals, enhanced his chances with a fine performance.

Olympic quota winner and Asian Games silver medallist Anantjeet Singh Naruka placed fourth behind Bhavtegh Singh Gill and Arjun Thakur.

Gurnihal Singh Garcha, who had pipped World Cup gold medallist Mairaj Ahmad Khan 4-3 in the shoot-off after being tied on 117, finished fifth ahead of the other qualification topper Kuldeep Sanyashi (121).

In women’s skeet, Darshna Rathore shot an impressive 123 out of 125 in qualification but placed sixth in the final. Maheshwari Chauhan topped the final, beating Areeba Khan 55-52, Sanjana Sood was third ahead of Parinaaz Dhaliwal and Raiza Dhillon.

The results

Trap: Men: 1. Aryavansh Tyagi 46 (117); 2. Prithviraj Tondaiman 44 (119); 3. Udaivir Singh Jaijee 36 (117).

Women: 1. Neeru 39(1) (107); 2. Rajeshwari Kumari 39(0) (112); 3. Shreyasi Singh 28 (114).

Skeet: Men: 1. Angad Vir Singh Bajwa 59 (121); 2. Bhavtegh Singh Gill 52 (119); 3. Arjun Thakur 45 (120)

Women: 1. Maheshwari Chauhan 55 (119); 2. Areeba Khan 52 (118); 3. Sanjana Sood 43 (109).

-Kamesh Srinivasan

TENNIS

Maha Urja $25,00 women’s ITF: Soha beats wild card entrant Sowjanya to set up pre-quarters

Daria Kudashova beat sixth seed Fanny Ostlund 7-5, 7-6(6) in the first round of the Maha Urja $25,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament on the clay courts of the MSLTA Academy on Tuesday.

In another match, Zeel Desai managed to eke out only five games against Akiko Omae of Japan.

Qualifier Soha Sadiq beat wild card entrant Sowjanya Bavisetti 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 to set up the pre-quarterfinals against Ekaterina Yashina who knocked out eighth seed Thasaporn Naklo of Thailand in straight sets.

The results

Singles (first round): Soha Sadiq bt Sowjanya Bavisetti 6-2, 2-6, 6-2; Ekaterina Yashina bt Thasaporn Naklo (Tha) 7-5, 6-4; Rinon Okuwaki (Jpn) bt Humera Baharmus 6-2, 6-3; Daria Kudashova bt Fanny Ostlund (Swe) 7-5, 7-6(6); Sonal Patil bt Maithili Mothe 6-0, 6-1; Miriana Tona (Ita) bt Jacqueline Cabaj Awad (Swe) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3; Akiko Omae (Jpn) bt Zeel Desai 6-3, 6-2; Dalila Jakupovic (Slo) bt Sejal Bhutada 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Yasmine Mansouri (Fra) & Diana Marcinkevica (Lat) bt Sonal Patil & Bela Tamhankar 6-2, 6-1; Daria Kudashova & Anastasia Zolotareva bt Akanksha Nitture & Soha Sadiq 6-4, 6-2; Yeonwoo Ku (Kor) & Justina Mikulskyte (Ltu) bt Vaishnavi Adkar & Ishwari Matere 6-2, 7-5; Shrivalli Bhamidipaty & Vaidehi Chaudhari bt Sowjanya Bavisetti & Mei Hasegawa (Jpn) 6-2, 6-1.

-Kamesh Srinivasan

PSPB inter-unit tennis tournament: Raina, Sachdeva shine in ONGC win against HPCL

Ankita Raina and Riya Sachdeva helped Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to a 2-0 victory over Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) in the women’s semifinals of the 42nd PSPB inter-unit tennis tournament organised by the Engineers India Limited (EIL) at the DLTA Complex on Tuesday.

Ankita and Riya won their singles matches without dropping a game against Darshna Hage and Sanya Khullar, respectively.

Riya Sachdeva and Ankita Raina in ONGC colours in the PSPB tennis tournament in Delhi on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: Kamesh Srinivasan

In the final, ONGC will play Indian Oil, which eased past EIL 2-0, with Riya Bhatia and Prarthana Thombare winning their matches, dropping two games in all, against Neha Agarwal and Geethanjali Koppulu, respectively.

In the men’s section, Indian Oil had a bye. ONGC, Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) and Oil India Limited (OIL) won their quarterfinals against EIL, HPCL and Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), respectively.

Saketh Myneni had to win his singles and doubles matches to help GAIL beat HPCL 2-1, with Jitender Sharma supporting him in the doubles.

-Kamesh Srinivasan

POLO

Sawan Man Singh Gold Vase tournament: Rajnigandha Achievers beats Rajasthan Polo

Chris Mackenzie scored four goals to help Rajnigandha Achievers to a 5-4 victory over Rajasthan Polo in the opening league match of the Sawan Man Singh Gold Vase polo tournament on Tuesday.

The results (league):

Rajnigandha Achievers 5 (Chris Mackenzie 4, Hurr Ali) bt Rajasthan Polo 4 (Salvadore Jauretche 3, Jaisal Singh).

Delta Polo 7 (Santiago Marambio 5, Shamsheer Ali 2) bt Jindal Panther 5 (Siddhant Sharma 3, Simran Shergill 2).

-Kamesh Srinivasan

GOLF

Amandeep lands two eagles, takes 6-shot lead in 5th leg of Hero WPGT

Amandeep Drall landed two eagles besides five other birdies in a record-breaking opening round of 8-under 64 to take a six-shot lead at the fifth leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour here.

Amandep’s best effort of the season so far was also a ladies’ course record at the Golden Greens Golf Club here.

Amandeep leads Gaurika Bishnoi (70) by six shots, while Astha Madan shot 1-under 71 to be third.

Hitaashee Bakshi and Khushi Khanijau carded an even-par 72 each to be tied fourth, while young amateur Lavanya Jadon shot a fine 1-over 73 to be sixth.

Lavanya was the top amateur.

Amandeep’s round was a welcome return to form for the star, who lost her card on the Ladies European Tour. She is determined to find her form and way back to the International Tours.

She opened with a string of three pars before a birdie on the fourth and an eagle on the fifth followed by a birdie on the eighth to turn in 3-under 33 as she bogeyed the sixth hole.

On the back nine, she added a birdie on the 11th and more birdies came on the 15th and 16th, and she closed with a second eagle on the 18th.

Gaurika was one-over till the 15th with three birdies against four bogeys. She closed in style with three birdies in a row for a respectable 2-under 70 to be second. Astha Madan had four birdies against three bogeys.

Experienced stars Ridhima Dilawari, Neha Tripathi, and Seher Atwal along with Shagun Narain were tied for seventh at 74 each.

The Order of Merit leader, Sneha Singh, shot 3-over 75 and was tied for 11th with five others.

-PTI