The Indian contingent finished a respectable seventh at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games held in the Bahamas this past week. The Indian youngsters won a total of 11 medals – four gold, one silver and six bronze – across the six-day event conducted from July 18-23.
Featuring a total of 28 participants across six event categories – athletics, cycling, swimming, judo, boxing and tennis – India’s medal haul came through the latter three disciplines.
In its year of initiation in the Commonwealth Youth Games, India tasted immediate success in judo. Youth judoka Soni picked up India’s first gold medal by winning in the 73-kg category by beating Australia’s Uros Nikolic. Ashish followed this with a bronze medal in the 60-kg category, with a win over England’s Harry Zane-Prosser.
Among the girls, Antim Yadav and Rebina Devi Chanam won two more bronze medals in the 48-kg and 57-kg categories respectively. Yadav defeated Bahamian Jasmine Russell in the bronze-medal bout, while Chanam beat Australia’s Saskia Jolande Brothers in her bronze play-off.
In boxing, India finished with a total of four medals – a gold and silver medal each, and two bronze medals. Sachin raked in India’s sole gold medal in boxing with a win over Wales’ James Nathan Probert in the boys’ 46-49-kg category. In the girls’ 60-kg category, Joni narrowly lost the final to Australia’s Ella Jade Boot 3-2 and had to settle for the silver medal. Muhammed Etash Khan and Ekta won the bronze medals in the boys’ 56-kg and girls’ 51-kg categories respectively.
Lastly, Zeel Desai and Siddhant Banthia finished off the Indian campaign on a high note pulling in three medals across all three categories in singles.
Desai won her girls singles final against Eliza Omirou of Cyprus in straight sets 6-3, 7-6, while Banthia claimed the bronze medal with a win over Cypriot Eleftherios Neos in straight sets as well 6-2, 6-0. The Indian duo then combined to propel India to a 6-4, 6-3 victory in the mixed doubles final against Neos and Omirou.