THE GOAN | NETWORK
PANAJI
Akanksha Salunkhe won the Chattisgarh All India Open Squash Tournament in women’s category and thus secured gold for Goa in the tournament held in Raipur from January 8 to 12. Incidentally, this was the first ever squash tournament, both junior and senior categories, held in the state of Chattisgarh which attracted a participation of more than 300 players. In addition to Akanksha, only three more Goan players had participated in this tournament with Yash Salunkhe in Boys Under-15 and Sushmita and Sukrita Pannigrahi in women’s category.
Yash lost in the pre-quarter finals to Navneet Prabhu who has been a Junior National Champion earlier. Akanksha, seeded No1, reached the finals without dropping a game. In the finals she won against Urvashi Joshi (Maharashtra) 3-2. She had got a bye in Round 1.
Goan sisters, Sushmita and Sukrita, both reached the semi-finals. Goa thus was high on ‘Woman Power’ with three girls in the top four in Women’s Category with the gold and bronze also going to Goan women.
Akanksha is now scheduled to lead the Indian Junior Squash Team to Hong Kong for the Asian Junior Team Championship scheduled from Feb 1 to 5. She has been invited to Chennai for training by the Indian Squash Academy where SAI is holding a camp prior deputation.
