Varada, Lakhani schools champions

MUMBAI, Sept 30: Varada Bal and Dhruv Lakhani triumphed in the under-16 singles of the MSSA-Colgate Inter-schools Table Tennis Tournament...

MUMBAI, Sept 30: Varada Bal and Dhruv Lakhani triumphed in the under-16 singles of the MSSA-Colgate Inter-schools Table Tennis Tournament at the University Sports Pavilion today.Varada Gokuldham beat Shivali Nayak 8212; who had the consolation of anchoring St Joseph8217;s Convent, Bandra, to the team title 8212; 21-18, 19-21, 22-20 for her maiden schools8217; title. Lakhani whipped left-handed Vaibhav Rane of Balmohan 21-7, 21-13 to clinch his maiden crown as well.

Sahil Kukreja, Shishir Juvekar and Aman Balgu were the titlists in the boys8217; under-14, under-12, under-10 respectively while Rujuta Rege and Neeraja Kukday were the under-14, under-12 winners among girls.

Kukreja also took apart Lakhani to fetch Don Bosco the team title in the crucial first reverse singles while Rujuta could not do the same for AVM, Santacruz, despite winning both her singles matches.

Varada, who is one among the select few to be a part of the Bombay Council of Talent Search which identifies students excelling in academics, betteredher runner-up placing achieved last year. The ninth standard student held her nerves in the toughest of all finals to win a match in which little separated the two.

Results

Boys8217; all finals Under-16: Dhruv Lakhani Utpal Sanghvi bt Vaibhav Rane Balmohan 21-7, 21-13; U-14: Sahil Kukreja Don Bosco bt Sohail Kothari 21-8, 21-10; U-12: Shishir Juvekar Parle Tilak bt Alok Shah Don Bosco 21-14, 19-21, 21-14; U-10: Aman Balgu CD Barfiwala bt Keshav Thakkar DPYA 21-14, 21-12.
Third place: U-16: Samik Pal Rajhans Vidyalaya bt Vasim Karadkar Sitaram Prakash 21-12, 21-8; U-14: Sujay Narvekar Thomas Academy bt Ashish Gupta St Stanislaus 21-18, 21-19; U-12: Rajat Hubli Atomic Energy bt Chinmay Bal Gokuldham 21-17, 16-21, 21-19; U-10: Rohan Jayakar St Stanislaus bt Karan Thakkar Parle Tilak 21-16, 12-21, 21-14.Semi-finals: U-16: Dhruv Lakhani bt Samik Pal 21-14, 9-21, 21-19; Vaibhav Rane bt Wasim Karadkar 21-18, 21-16. U-14: Sahil Kukreja btAshish Gupta 21-14, 21-9. U-12: Shishir Juvekar bt Rajat Hubli 21-12, 21-14; Alok Shah bt Chinmay Bal 21-18, 21-13. U-10: Aman Balgu bt Karan Thakkar 21-14, 21-11; Keshav Thakkar bt Rohan Jayakar 21-6, 21-14.

Team final: Don Bosco bt Utpal Sanghvi 3-1 Sahil Kukreja bt Anuj Shah 21-13, 21-15; Gaurav Doshi bt Dhruv Lakhani 18-21, 21-12, 21-11; Kukreja/Doshi lost to Lakhani/Makrand Modi 10-21, 13-21; Kukreja bt Lakhani 21-9, 21-5; Third place: AVM bt Campion 3-0 Dhruv Kohli bt Divanshu Jain 21-14, 19-21, 21-17; Tanay Prabhu bt Akshay Ruia 21-11, 21-4; Kohli/Prabhu bt Karl Nagarwala/Jain 21-14, 21-17; Semi-finals: Don Bosco bt Campion 3-0; Utpal Sanghvi bt AVM 3-1.
Girls8217; finals Under-16: Varada Bal Gokuldham bt Shivali Nayak St Joseph8217;s Convent, Bandra 21-18, 19-21, 22-20; Under-14: Rujuta Rege AVM, Santacruz bt Bhavana Suvarna Jasudben ML 21-15, 21-15; U-12: Neeraja Kukday St Anne8217;s bt Anul Jain Sri Mumbadevi 21-8, 21-12.
Third place: U-16: Radhika ShahJB Petit bt Swati Gupta Atomic Energy 21-6, 21-5; U-14: Sneha Keshav VN Sule bt Sonam Bajaj St Joseph8217;s, Bandra 21-19, 21-13; U-12: Maitri Dore JB Petit bt Gulistan Irani Villa Theresa 13-21, 21-17, 21-13.
Semi-finals: U-16: Varada Bal bt Swati Gupta 21-13, 21-14; Shivali Nayak bt Radhika Shah 21-7, 21-11. U-14: Rujuta Rege bt Sonam Bajaj 21-18, 21-15; Bhavana Suvarna bt Sneha Keshav 21-12, 21-11. U-12: Anul Jain bt Gulistan Irani 23-21, 21-18; Neeraja Kukday bt Maitry Dore 21-16, 21-8.
Team final: St Joseph8217;s Convent Bandra bt AVM Santacruz 3-2 Shivali Nayak lost to Rujuta Rege 20-22, 9-21; Sonam Bajaj bt Janhavi Kulkarni 21-9, 21-7; Shivani/Sonam bt Rujuta/Janhavi 21-14, 21-7; Sonam lost to Rujuta 18-21, 16-21; Shivani bt Janhavi 21-12, 21-8; Third place: JB Petit bt Cathedral 3-0 Aashini Shah bt Ria Seth 21-7, 21-14; Nikita Jhaveri bt Rhea Bhandari 21-8, 21-13; Aashini/Radhika Shah bt Pia Seth/Rhea 21-15, 21-11; Semi-finals:St Joseph8217;s bt JB Petit 3-0; AVMbt Cathedral.