Shuttlers win first gold for India: S Asian Games

COLOMBO: Shuttlers gave a dazzling start to the Indian campaign at the South Asian Games winning three gold medals on the opening day of the competition here on Friday.

The medals were assured for India as the winners beat their compatriots for the honours.

V Diju and Jwala Gutta won the first gold medal in the mixed doubles badminton championships beating Thomas Kurien and Aparna Balan 21-11, 21-13.

Trupti Murgunde and Chetan Anand won the singles gold in the women's and men's events respectively later in the morning.

Murgunde, the highest-ranked Indian shuttler, outplayed B R Meenakshi 11-5 21-14 despite a bout of viral fever, while Anand, suffering a hamstring strain, overcame Nikhil Kanetkar in a hotly contested match 21-14, 21-12.

Diju-Gutta displayed excellent coordination which helped them capitalise on their opponents' mistakes in the day's maiden encounter.

Murgunde was down with fever a week before coming for the Games but came through against Balan whom she had beaten in their previous encounter.

"The game wasn't very good, I also felt drained because I had an upset stomach in the morning," the Maharashtrian said.