Bajrang, Apurvi and Ravi save India's blushes
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Jakarta: Wrestler Bajrang Punia won the first gold for India after shooters Apurvi Chandela and Ravi Kumar had opened the country's account by clinching a bronze medal in the Asian Games on Sunday.
Bajrang pulled off a thrilling 11-8 win over Japan's Daichi Takatani to win his first Asian Games gold medal in men's 65 kg freestyle.
Despite, Bajrang's golden run it was a disappointing show by the Indian grapplers as Sushil Kumar crashed out in the opening bout of 74kg, while Sandeep Tomar |(57 kg) and Mausam Khatri (97 kg) exited in the quarterfinals.
Earlier, Apurvi and Ravi came third with a total of 429.9 in the final of the 10m air rifle mixed team event.
However, Manu Bhaker and Abhishek Verma failed to qualify for the final of the 10m air pistol mixed team finals. Manu and Abhishek could only finish sixth with a total of 759 and missed out on the final in which the top-5 competed.
Sajan, Srihari fail in finals
Though swimmers Sajan Prakash and Srihari Nataraj made it to the finals of the men's 200m butterfly and men's 100m backstroke, they could only finish fifth and seventh respectively.
Indian men had it easy in the men's team badminton as they blanked Maldives 3-0 to seal a spot in the quarterfinals. Kidambi Srikanth beat Hussein Zayan 21-4, 21-5 while H S Prannoy thrashed Mohammed Sarim 21-8, 21-6. Sai Praneeth wrapped up the tie with a 21-7, 21-8 win over Ajfab Rasheed. India take on hosts Indonesia in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Fine start in kabaddi
Hot favourites India began their campaign on a rousing note in both the men's and women's section of the kabaddi competition. Seven-time defending champions Indian men overpowered Bangladesh 50-21 before outplaying Sri Lanka 44-28.
The Indian women thrashed Japan 43-12 in their opening game.
The Indian women's volleyball team, comprising 10 Keralaites out of the 14, found South Korea too hot to handle in their opening match as they lost 17-25, 11-25, 13-25.
The Indian eves thrashed Indonesia 8-0 in hockey.
India's results on Sunday
Men: Badminton: Round of 16: India bt Maldives 3-0.
Kabaddi: Group A: India bt Bangladesh 50-21; bt Sri Lanka 44-28.
Rowing: Single sculls (heat 1): Dattu Baban Bhokanal, 2, 8:09.21 (through to repechage)
Double sculls (heat 2): Om Prakash/Swaran Singh, 1, 7:10.26 (through to finals)
Wrestling (freestyle): 57 kg (quarterfinals): Sandeep Tomar lost to Reza Atrinagharchi (Irn) 9-15.
65 kg (final): Bajrang Punia bt Daichi Takatani (JPN) 11-8
74 kg (qualifiers): Sushil Kumar lost to Adam Batrov (BRN) 3-5.
86 kg (bronze-medal play-off): Pawan Kumar lost to Orgodolyn Uiltumen (MGL) 1-8.
97 kg (quarterfinals): Mausam Khatri lost to Magomed Ibragimov (UZB) 0-8.
Women: Basketball: Group A: India lost to Chinese Taipei 61-84.
Handball: Group A: India lost to China 21-36
Volleyball: Pool B: India lost to South Korea 17-25, 11-25, 13-25.
Hockey: Pool B: India bt Indonesia 8-0.
Kabaddi: Group A: India bt Japan 43-12.
Mixed events
Shooting: 10m air pistol mixed team (qualifiers): Manu Bhaker/Abhishek Verma (759 - 6th place - failed to qualify for finals)
10m air rifle mixed team (final): Apurvi Chandela/Ravi Kumar (429.9 - bronze medal)