Indian athletes were on top of their games as they hauled 41 medals on Day 5 of South Asian Games being held in Nepal. They grabbed 19 gold, 18 silver, and four bronze medals to extend their lead in medals tally.
Indian shuttlers were phenomenal on the fifth day of the event as they won four gold medals on the day.
India manged to breach the 100-medal mark quite comfortably on the fourth day of the event after scooping 56 medals.
India is now at the top of the table with 165 medals (81 gold, 59 silver, 25 bronze).
It is followed by the host, Nepal – 116 medals (41 gold, 27 silver, 48 bronze).
The third in the medal tally is Sri Lanka with 134 medals ( 23 gold, 42 silver, 69 bronze).
India’s Siril Verma delivered a top notch game by defeating compatriot Aryaman Tandon in all Indian men’s final.
In the women’s final, Ashmita Chaliha emerged victorious after outwitting Gayatri Gopichand.
Most of the gold medals came from wushu as India bagged 7 of them in that sport on the fourth day. Suraj Singh, Y Sanathoi Devi (women’s sansou 52kg), Punam (women’s 75kg), Deepika (women’s 70kg), Sushila (women’s 65kg), Roshibina Devi (women’s 60kg) and Sunil Singh (men’s 52kg) defeated their opponents.
Indian swimmers further helped in widening the medal difference by scooping the most number medal on the fourth day – 11 ( 4 gold + 6 silver + 1 bronze).
Likith Selvaraj Prema finished the event at a record of 2 minutes 14.67 seconds, to grab the gold in the men’s 200m breastroke (short course). He defeated compatriot Danush Suresh who had to settle silver.
India’s second gold from swimming came from Apeksha Delyla Fernandes who won the men’s 200m breaststroke (short course) with a time of 2:38.05.
Divya Satija secured gold in women’s 100m butterfly (short course), while the women’s 400 m freestyle relay team topped the podium.
In weightlifting, India bagged four gold medals on the first day of the weightlifting competitions. Jhilli Dalabehera won gold in women’s under 45 kg category after lifting a total weight of 151 kg.
In the women’s competition, Sneha Soren won gold after lifting a total weight of 157 kg.
Taekwondo players had to break sweat as well to bring six medals for the country. Purva Dattary Dixit (women’s 49kg), Ruchika Bhave (women’s 67kg) and Margaret Maria (women’s 73kg) won gold for India while Niraj Choudhary (men’s 58kg) and Akshay Hooda (men’s 87kg) settled to silver each.