Merchande stars in ABMM win

Results – at St. Xavier’s ground,Parel –Div-III: Anand Bal Mitra Mandal 2 (Sanjay Merchande 2) beat Black Panthers 1 (Danish Surve); Cattalian FC 0 drew with Hegdewar Boys 0; Toyo Engineering 1 (Gabriel Mendes) beat Rizvi Ceramics 0; IIT Powai ‘B’ (Mukul Verma) beat Shree Sai Dindi Mandal 0; Geostanne United 2 (Haycinth Fernandes 2) beat Creek View SC 0.

Gandhi,Makhija win best swimmer awards

Monique Gandhi edged past favourite Aditi Dhumatkar by two points to win the ‘best swimmer’ title on the concluding day of the GMAAA Senior and Lower Age Group Swimming Meet,organised at the Tata Swimming Pool in Chembur. Gandhi and Dhumatkar both won four gold medals each,but the former set three new marks compared to the latter’s two.

Khar Gymkhana’s Aryan Makhija took the honours in the men’s events by winning four golds – two of which were record-breaking efforts – and a silver. Makhija’s closest competitor was NSCI’s Vedant Khandeparkar,who won two gold,one silver and two bronze medals. Avantika Chavan,another Khar Gymkhana representative set new women’s record in the 50 meter backstroke and 50 meter butterfly events.

In the under-8 girl’s category,Matunga Gymkhana’s Palak Dhami set records in the 50 meter backstroke and 50 meter backstroke events,with the latter event being shared between Dhami and Sanjiti Saha.

Results: MEN: (400m freestyle) – Aryan Makhija (KG) -04:31.11 (Pronoy Adhikary (MSP) -04:32.22 – 2007). WOMEN: (100m freestyle) – Aditi Dhumatkar (KG) – 01:00.02 (Aditi Dhumatkar (KG) – 01:01.32). (400m freestyle) – Monique Gandhi (KG) – 04: 38.98 (Aakanksha Vora (Otters) – 04:40.78 – 2012). (1500m Freestyle):Monique Gandhi (KG) – 18:27.16 (Aakanksha Vora (Otters) – 18:36.35 – 2012).(50m Backstroke): Avantika Chavan (KG) – 00:32.89. (Katie Hakim (MGM) – 00:33.41 – 2003). (50m Butterfly stroke): Avantika Chavan (KG) – 00:29.91. (Rujuta Bhatt (KG) – 00:30. 46 – 2010). (4x100m Freestyle relay)– Khar Gym. – 04:28.71 (Khar Gym -04:40.15 – 2012).). U-8 GIRLS : (50m Freestyle)- Sanjiti Saha (KG) and Palak Dhami (Mat Gym) – – 00:36.69 (Srushti Shirgaonkar (MSP) – 99:41.44).(50m Backstroke): Palak Dhami (Mat Gym) – 00:44.53 (Saee Patil (PSP) – 00:46.05 – 2011). (4x50m Medley Relay) – Khar Gym – 03:10.15 (Radio Club – 03:26.50 – 2011). U-6 BOYS: (25m breast stroke) – Ethan Sequeira (Ozone) – 00:24.18 (Omkar Nehate -MCF) – 00:25.87). (25m Backstroke) – Ethan Sequeira (Ozone) – 00:22.45 (Spandan Yeole (Vibgyour) – 00:24.04 – 2011).

Junior shuttlers Krish,Karishma cause upsets

Home favourite junior Krish Raheja defeated eighth seeded Akshat Raut from Thane in their men’s singles tie to proceed to the last 16 of the 1st Maharashtra State Senior Badminton Selection Tournament,organised and sponsored by Khar Gymkhana. Raheja overcame his first game loss to beat Raut 12-15,15-9,15-10.

Sonu Kumar fought hard to beat Pune’s Lokesh Sonawane 11-15,15-12,15-9.

In the women’s category,junior shuttler Karishma Wadekar beat fifth seeded S Sahasrabudhe 15-10,15-12 to enter the quarterfinals,while Mumbai’s Riddhi Pajwani returned from a long hiatus in the sport to outwit Solapur’s Rucha Nikam 15-13,15-13.

Results: Women’s singles (Pre-quarterfinals): Riya Pillai (MS) bt Mugdha Patil (MS) 15-1,15-3; Riddhi Pajwani (MS) bt Rucha Nikam (Sol) 15-13,15-13; Sonal More (MS) bt Vallari Bukane (TH) 15-10,15-7; Varda Dixit (NG) bt Sheena Mhandalekar (GM) 15-12,15-7; Vaishali Bhale (NG) bt Kairavi Thakore (MS) 15-4,15-8; Aditi Mutatkar (PN) w/o Balwinder Sapra (MS); Karishma Wadkar (MS) bt Sampada Sahasrabudhe (PN) 15-10,15-12; Sruti Mondada (PN) bt Vrushali Maithankar (SAT) 15-11,15-5. Men’s singles (Round of 32): Mayank Gole bt Yash Salgaonkar (GM) 15-10,15-6; Deepak Ratnani (TN) bt Nikhil Khambar (GM) 15-5,15-5; Mandeep Singh (RDaigardh) bt Ajit Kumbhar (PN) 10-15,15-6. 15-9; Dheeraj Kumar Gaurav (SNG) bt Likhit Bangera (MS) 15-7,21-20; Krish Raheja (MS) bt Akshay Raut (TH) 12-15,15-9,15-10; Sonu Kumar (TH) bt Lokesh Sonawane (PN) 11-15,15-12,15-9; Rushikesh Mali (SNG) bt Shubhanan Deshpande (PN) 15-9,15-8.