Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Aaron Colaco won a double crown while Vivek Carvalho, Ridhima Naik and Simran Kubal were the other title winners in singles events of the 9thLate Ramacanta V.P. Dharwatkar Memorial Table Tennis Tournament, organised by Panjim TT Club, at Dr SPM Stadium, Taleigao.
Aaron Colaco had a good outing winning the U-17 and U-21 boys singles titles.
In the U-17 boys singles, Aaron was at business as he downed his doubles compatriot Nathan Barua 3-0. The U-21 boy’s final was much tougher for Aaron.
The match was a see saw battle with the pendulum swinging from one side to the other. Both finalists fought hard with neither willing to give an inch to the other.
At 2 sets a piece, top seed Nikhil Jadhav stumbled in the decider to go down 9-11 and lose the match with a narrow 3-2 margin to second seed Aaron.
The U-21 girls final between Simran Kubal and Anushri Naik was a similar cracker of a contest with the former edging out her opponent 3-2. In U-12 girls final, top seed Ridhima Naik was given a few tense moments by Pradnya Caro before prevailing to a 3 -1 win.
Following players won bronze: U-12 girls (Neeza Kamat & Arya Palang); Under 12 Boys (Saksham Dukle & Rishan Shaikh); U-17 boys (Amogh Bawachikar and Swayam Chodankar); Under 21 Girls (Samaira Soares & Urvi Surlakar) and U-21 boys (Nathan Barua and Gautam Wadkar). Promising player prizes were awarded to Chandan Caro and Advait Mudras.
Meanwhile, in doubles events, following pairs made it into the finals: Shantesh Mapsekar and Shaswat Mapsekar will play Pranav Naik and Sanisha Shetye in the doubles below 35 years combined age group; Noel Noronha and Selvyn Godinho will meet Rutuj Sonawane and Yusuf Shaikh in above 50 years combined age finals while in doubles above 85 years combined age group, Noel Noronha and Suresh Karapurkar have set up a title clash with Anthony Gomes and Prutha Parrikar.
