Bhavnagar captures 3 team titles, Surat bags 2
Gandhidham, Sept.25 : Young Bhavnagar paddlers played their hearts out in the sweltering Kutch heat to help their district grab as many as three team trophies on the third day of the prestigious Jodac Gujarat State and Inter-District Table Tennis Championships 2024 organised by Gujarat State Table Tennis Association (GSTTA) at the Late MP Mittra Indoor Stadium, Haresh Sangtani Sports Complex, Adipur in Gandhidham on Wednesday.
The Sports Authority of Gujarat and Kutch District Table Tennis Association (KDTTA)-supported five-day tournament, which carries maximum points in the state TT calendar, is sponsored by Jodac Shipping Line Pvt. Ltd, co-sponsored by State Bank of India, associate sponsored by Kiran Foundation, equipment sponsored by Stiga and Gandhidham Chamber of Commerce & Industries.
Second seeded Bhavnagar junior boys’ team easily went past third seed Surat with Dhyey Jani leading the way.
Bhanagar’s second seeded junior girls’ team, led by Riya Jayswal, got the better of surprise finalist and unseeded Navsari team 3-1 to make it a clean sweep in the U-19 category.
In the sub-junior girls’ final, second seeded Bhavnagar team, led by Charmy Trivedi, came back from behind to upset the top seed Surat team 3-1 to make it three titles for Bhavnagar.
In the men’s final, fourth seed Surat cleaned up second seed Vadodara 3-0 while in the women’s finals, holders and top seed Surat team overcame Bhavnagar 3-1 to retain their crown and make it two trophies for the Diamond city.
Second seeds Vadodara paddlers won a lot of applauds as they slugged hard to upend the top seeds Ahmedabad 3-2 to walk away with the sub-junior boys’ title, their only title on the team championships.
Local boy Rehansh Singhavi of Kachchh emerged victorious in the Hopes boys (U-9) final after defeating Surat’s Pranav Kela 3-1 while Prisha Parekh of Surat brushed aside Yana Parekh of Anand 3-0 to win the Hopes girls’ title.
As part of GSTTA’s initiative to promote TT from the grassroot level, entry was free in the U-9 boys and girls’ categories.
GSTTA organised the team championships’ award ceremony in which Shri Mukesh Kumar, Regional Manager, SBI, Gandhidham, Shri Harsh Gupta, Director, Kiran Group, Shri Tejabhai Kangad, Director, Neelkanth Group, Shri Mahesh Tirthani, Hon. Secretary, Gandhidham Chamber of Commerce, Smt. Pallavi Bariya, Dy. Collector – Gir Somnath, Shri Naresh Bulchandani, Senior Vice-President, KDTTA, Shri Hari Pillai, Hon. Secretary, GSTTA, Shri Rujul Patel, Hon. Treasure, GSTTA, Shri Pathik Mehta, Chairman-Selection Committee, GSTTA, Shri Manish Hingorani, Hon. Secretary, KDTTA, Shri Prashant Buch, Founder Member, Shri Rajiv Singh, Founder Member, KDTTA were present.
Final Scores:
Men’s: Surat (4) bt Vadodara (2) 3-0 (Devarsh Vaghela bt Vidit Desai 5-11, 13-11, 2-11, 11-6, 11-9; Ayaz Murad bt Jalay Mehta 10-12, 4-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-7; Aayush Tanna bt Pratham Madlani 11-6, 11-7, 11-5).
Women’s: Surat (1) bt Bhavnagar (2) 3-1 (Krittwika Sinha Roy bt Riya Jaiswal 11-6, 11-6, 11-4; Filzahfatema Kadri lost to Namna Jayswal 11-4, 8-11, 11-5, 6-11, 6-11; Frenaz Chipia bt Naitri Dave 11-5-, 11-8, 11-1; Krittwika bt Namna 7-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6)
Junior Boys (U-19): Bhavnagar (2) bt Surat (3) 3-1 (Dhyey Jani bt Taksh Kothari 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8; Poojan Chandran lost to Aayush Tanna 7-11, 8-11, 7-11; Dhyey & Poojan bt Taksh & Aayush 11-9, 6-11, 11-8, 11-5; Dhyey bt Aayush 11-7, 11-7, 11-4).
Junior Girls (U-19) : Bhavnagar (2) bt Navsari (unseeded) 3-1: Charmy Trivedi lost to Siddhi Bulsara 11-9, 14-12, 5-11, 7-11, 4-11; Riya Jayswal bt Aastha Mistry 5-11, 11-1, 11-3, 11-4; Charmi & Riya bt Siddhi & Aastha 11-5, 11-13, 11-8, 10-12, 12-10; Riya bt Siddhi 11-9, 11-6, 11-6.
Sub-Junior Boys (U-15) : Vadodara (2) bt Ahmedabad (1) 3-2 (Dhyan Vasavada lost to Malav Panchal 3-11, 8-11, 11-9, 6-11; Ved Panchal bt Dwij Bhalodia 12-10, 13-11, 11-9; Ved & Dhyan bt Malav & Hridan 11-6, 6-11, 11-8, 11-7; Ved lost to Malav 13-15, 5-11, 11-7, 7-11; Dhyan bt Dwij 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9.
Sub-Juniors Girls (U-15) : Bhavnagar (2) bt Surat (1) 3-1 (Sachi Doshi lost to Daniya Godil 11-9, 1-11, 9-11, 4-11; Charmy Trivedi bt Vishruti Jadav 11-9, 12-14, 6-11, 11-9, 11-4; Sachi & Charmy bt Daniya & Vishruti 11-8, 12-10, 11-8; Charmy bt Daniya 8-11, 14-12, 14-12, 11-4.
Hopes Boys (U-9): Rehansh Singhavi (KCH) bt Pranav Kela (SRT) 3-1 (10-12, 11-3, 11-6, 11-5)
Hopes Girls (U-9): Prisha Parekh (SRT) bt Yana Parekh (AND) 3-0 (11-2, 12-10, 11-3)
