World Carrom Championship: S Appoorwa wins two gold medals

Hyderabad: Hyderabad player S. Appoorwa and her partner Kajol Kumari earned the first gold medals for India in the women’s doubles event of 7th World Carrom Championship being held at Birmingham in England.

The duo defeated their Indian counterparts Parimala Devi and Tuba Shehar in straight games 25-14, 25-16. Later, Appoorwa spearheaded the Indian women’s side to the team championship. The team comprising Appoorwa, Kajol Kumari, Parimala Devi and Tuba Sehar blanked Sri Lanka 3-0 in the final. Appoorwa also secured a notable sixth place, the highest for any women player, in the eight-round Swiss League that is open to all the participants.

However, the men’s team slipped in the final to lose 1-2 to Sri Lanka. India took the top two places in the men’s doubles though. Sandeep and Riyaz beat fellow countrymen Shankara and Prashant More in a closely fought final 13-25, 23-13, 25-12.