India's women's table tennis team continued their winning momentum as defeated Guyana 3-0 without breaking much sweat in a Group 2 match on Saturday.
The women's team, defending the title it had won at Gold Coast four years ago, enjoyed a winning start to its campaign on Friday after crushing South Africa and Fiji by an identical 3-0 margin. On the second competition day, the first to turn up was the pair of Sreeja Akula and Reeth Tennison, which steamrolled Natalie Cummings and Chealsea Edghill 11-5 11-7 11-7 to put India 1-0 ahead.
Then, reigning Commonwealth Games champion Manika, who became the first Indian table tennis player to win the gold in the women's singles in the last edition, decimated Thuraia Thomas in straight games 11-1 11-3 11-3.
In another woman's singles match, Reeth fought hard to register an 11-7 14-12 13-11 win against Chealsea Edghill, who put up a spirited show. Reeth's win ensured that India won the tie convincingly.
In other news, India has qualified for the knockout stage in mixed team badminton and Sanket Sargar opened India's medal count by winning silver in the 55-kg men's weightlifting event.
Sanket lifted 113 kg in his third attempt of snatch after lifting 111 kg and 107 kg in his second and first attempts, respectively.
In his first attempt of clean and jerk, he lifted 135 kg but missed the weight of 139 kg in his second and third attempts.
Just when it seemed that India might finish at the top, Malaysian weightlifter Aniq Kasdan clinched the gold medal by surpassing Sanket with an overall difference of just 1 kg. On the other hand, Dilanka Yodage from Sri Lanka lifted 225 kg and finished with a bronze medal.
So far, Australia leads the medals tally board by winning 17 medals followed by Team England with 12 medals.
(Inputs PTI)
