Triple gold for Selena at Egypt Junior and Cadet TT

Young Indian paddler Selena Selvakumar scripted history as she won triple gold medal at the Egypt Junior and Cadet Open Table Tennis Championship in Sharm El Sheikh. The 17-year-old Chennai girl won singles and doubles gold medal apart from the team championship gold.

Published : Oct 16, 2017 16:26 IST

Top seeded Selena had to fight her way to the singles’ gold though, with her last two matches against the Alhodaby sisters going all the way.

Young Indian paddler Selena Selvakumar scripted history as she won triple gold medal at the Egypt Junior and Cadet Open Table Tennis Championship in Sharm El Sheikh. The 17-year-old Chennai girl won singles and doubles gold medal apart from the team championship gold.

Top seeded Selena had to fight her way to the singles’ gold though, with her last two matches against the Alhodaby sisters going all the way. She first overcame eighth-seeded Mariam Alhodaby 4-3 (11-9, 11-8, 10-12, 8-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-5) in the semifinal. In the final, she beat second seeded Marwa Alhodaby 4-3 (11-5, 12-10, 8-11, 6-11, 11-3, 6-11, 11-4).

Selena paired up with Nigeria’s Esther Oribamise in the doubles and beat Egypt-Greek duo of Farida Badawy and Malamatenia Papadimitriou 3-2 (11-8, 12-10, 9-11, 8-11, 11-9) in the final to clinch the gold.

In the semifinals, the duo beat Egypt’s Sarah Abousetta and Tunisia’s Abir Haj Sarah 11-7, 4-11, 13-11, 9-11, 12-10.