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Anaka wins gold at Asian junior squash

June 29, 2008 16:49 IST

Anaka Alankamony bagged India's lone gold medal at the Asian Junior Squash championship, while Dipika Pallikal and Mahesh Mangaonkar settled for silver after losing their respective finals in Busan on Sunday.

Anaka, the top seeded Indian, beat Hong Kong's Ho Ka Po 9-6, 9-6, 9-5 in the girls under-15 category final to clinch her eighth international title.

"Down 1-6 in the first two games, Anaka hit some brilliant hard drives and delicate drops. She was made to move to all corners by Po but prevailed in the end," national coach Cyrus Poncha said from Busan.

However, Pallikal and Mangaonkar were outplayed in the summit clash and finished runners-up.

While second seed Pallikal was outplayed 1-9, 6-9, 0-9 by top seed Malaysian Low Wee Wern in the under-19 girls final, Mangaonkar went down 4-9, 4-9, 3-9 to top seed Pakistan's Nasir Iqbal in the under-15 boys event.

"Although we were unable to win two titles, it has been a great event," Poncha said.

Vikram Malhotra bagged a bronze for India in the boys under-19 category after winning the third-fourth place play-off.

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