Indian grapplers simply annihilated their opponents, scooping 14 gold medals out of a total 16 on offer as the wrestling competition in the 12th South Asian Games ended, in Guwahati, on Monday.
Despite being represented by a second string team, the home wrestlers proved too strong for their South Asian neighbours as they grabbed five more gold out of six on offer, besides a silver, on the concluding day at the R G Baruah Sports Complex. Indian wrestlers thus ended their campaign with a whopping 14 gold and two silver.
India won gold in all the eight women's categories, while their men counterparts won six gold and two silver.
Pakistan won two gold.
Shilpi Sheoran began the gold count for India as she beat Farzana Sharmin of Bangladesh in the women's 63kg final bout. Rajani and Nikki made all-gold affair for Indian women in the Games by defeating Bangladesh's Shirin Sultana and W Weerasingh of Sri Lanka, respectively in the 69kg and 75kg categories.
Among men, Mausam Khatri and Pardeep won a gold each in 97kg and 74kg respectively, while Mandeep had to settle for a silver as he lost to Pakistan's Zaman Avwar in the 125kg final bout. In the 2010 edition, India had won three gold and a silver in men's wrestling while Pakistan had won two gold and a silver.
M Punshiva Meitei clinched a gold medal and Swachacha Jatav bagged a silver for India in the men's and women's Nanquan events of wushu, respectively in the 12th South Asian Games.
India now have two gold, one silver and one bronze in their kitty. Metei finished on top with 9.20 points to win the gold ahead of his rivals from Nepal and Sri Lanka who settled for silver and bronze respectively at the Rising Sports Complex, Assam Rifles in Latikor, in Shillong.
In the women's section, Jatav had to be content with a silver with 8.20 points behind Nepal's Nina Dhartimagar, while Muksana Akhtar bagged the bronze for Pakistan.
Meanwhile, three more medals have been assured in wushu with Sanathoi Devi (52kg), Arunpama Devi (60kg) and Pooja Kadian (70 Kg) entering finals in their respective sections.
In the men's section, six are in contention, having advanced into the semi finals on Monday. Sixteen gold medals are up for grabs in wushu.
India sweep cycling gold medals
Indian cyclists brushed aside competition for a third day on the trot to win both the gold medals on offer on Monday.
The Indian teams won the women's 40km time trial and men's 70km time trial events to take their medal count to five gold, three silver and one bronze on the third and penultimate day of the cycling competitions.
In women's 40km team time trial final, the Indian quartet of T Bidyaluxmi, Rutuja Satpute, G Manisha and Chaoba Devi bagged the gold in a time of 59:23.5secs. Sri Lanka and Pakistan took the silver and bronze respectively.
In men's 70km team time trial final, the home team of Arvind Panwar, Manjeet Singh, Deepak Kumar Rahi and Manohar Lal Bishnoi took the gold in one hour 29 minutes and 37.840 seconds. Pakistan and Sri Lanka won the silver and bronze respectively.
For Bidyaluxmi and Arvind, Monday's gold were their second overall. Bidyalaxmi had won the gold in the women's 30km individual time trial event while men's 40km individual time trial.
On the first day on Saturday, India had won two gold and two silver while they won a gold, a silver and a bronze on Sunday.
India had also dominated cycling competition in the last edition in Dhaka by winning 3 gold and a silver.
Indian shuttlers beat Sri Lanka
Indian shuttlers opened their account with two gold medals in the men's and women's team events, easily downing their opponents from Sri Lanka.
K Srikanth gave Indian men's team a perfect start when he downed Buwenaka Gounathilaka 21-14, 21 14 in front of a packed SAI Complex Hall at the North Eastern Hill University Campus in the outskirts of the city.
In the second rubber, H S Prannoy faced a stiff challenge from Sachin Dias before overcoming 21-13, 21-16 before the doubles duo of Manu Attri and Sumeeth Reddy tamed Gounathilaka/Dias 21-12, 21-11.
Star shuttler PV Sindhu gave Indian women's team a flying start when she beat Kavindi Ishadika Sirimannage 21-7, 21-5 before national champion Ruthvika Shivani got the better of Thilini Pramodika 23-21, 21-13.
The doubles team of Ashwini and Sindhu outplayed Achini Rathnasiri and Upuli Samathika 21-13, 21-13 to add a second gold from badminton.
