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Two Indians register finals berths
Two Indian judokas – Navjot Chana and Sushila Likmabam – entered the finals in their respective weight categories to assure India of its first medals at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Featuring in the men’s 60kg category, Navjot, a 2010 Commonwealth Championship gold medallist, put it across South Africa’s Daniel le Grange in the semifinals. The 30-year-old Punjab grappler had earlier beaten Australia’s Tom Pappas in the opening round and Wales’ Brandon Dodge to reach the last eight stage.
Sushila Likmabam also kept the good run going by defeating Australia’s Chloe Rayner in the semifinals. She had earlier brushed aside the challenge of Australia’s Amy Meyer in the pre-quarterfinals, after getting past Cameroon’s Marie Medza Effa in the first round.
More medals possible through repechage system
Kalpana Thoudam had triggered the Indian judokas’ bright start in Glasgow by reaching the semifinals in the women’s 52kg category. Kalpana, the 2010 Commonwealth Championship gold medallist, had a bye in the first round and then went on to get the better of Australia’s Hannah Trotter. She then lost to Scotland’s Louise Renicks, but is still in with a chance of winning bronze through the repechage system.
However, there were some disappointments from the judo arena too – Manjeet Nandal bowed out in the quarterfinals of the men’s 66kg category losing to England’s Colin Oates. The Haryana judoka had earlier beaten Asa Weithers of Barbados in the first round. It’s not all over yet for Manjeet as he clashes with Cameroon’s Dieudonne Nama Etoga in the repechage round, thus keeping his podium finish hopes alive.
Shivani lost to Canada’s Jessica Klimkait in the first round of the women’s 57kg category – the only judoka to make an early exit from the competition.
