*Squash Nationals
PTI
Thiruvananthapuram
It proved to be so near yet so far for reigning champion Harinder Pal Sandhu as he went down fighting to his senior and far experienced Saurav Ghosal in five thrilling games in the men's final of the SBT 63rd senior national squash championship on Sunday.
Ghosal beat Sandhu 8-11 4-11 11-6 11-7 11-6. Two games up and again 6-2 up in the fourth game, Harinder seemed to have got into the groove for another shot at the title but the wily Ghosal is a different player under pressure. He proved it with an outstanding fight back and lunging ahead in the decisive final game. Ghosal thus helped himself to his 10th national title.
The women's final too was well contested though the scoreline didn't suggest so. Joshana Chinappa showed experience when it mattered in the final analysis while dousing the enthusiasm and challenge of national junior champion Harshit Kaur Jawanda 11-6 12-10 11-5.
This was Chinappa's 14th national title as she is well on way to reach that magical number of 16, which is the number of titles that Bhuveneswari Kumari had won for a record total.
BOX
Akanksha clinches historic bronze
THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
Rising Goan squash starlet Akanksha Salunkhe produced one of her best efforts till date to secure a bronze medal at the SBT 63rd National Championship, which concluded in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
The 17-year-old seeded 5/8, made it to the semi-finals but lost out to eventual runner-up Harshit Kaur Jawanda 11-7 12-10 11-9. Akanksha had earlier weathered the hard hitting Lakshya Ragavendran to win in four games in the only upset in the quarter-finals of the women's category. The Goan kept her cool and volleyed at every opportunity moving the hard hitting Lakshya to all four corners.
