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Disappointment for Nakul
Indian taekwondo contingent’s hopes of a winning a medal at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games were dashed when Nakul Malhotra lost his +87-kg quarterfinal bout to Lebanon’s El Hedari Elias at the Ganghwa Dolmens Gymnasium on Wednesday. Nakul, who reached the quarterfinals of the 2006 Doha Asian Games, and subsequently did not feature at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, fought hard in the first two rounds as both players failed to win any points.
The 27-year-old Madhya Pradesh lad won a penalty point in the third round to hold the advantage, but his Lebanese opponents mounted a strong fightback winning an attacking point as well as a penalty point to seal his semifinal berth. A semis spot would have ensured the Indian a bronze.
The Indian was given a bye into the quarterfinal stage.
There was disappointment in the women’s section as Aarti Khakal – another player from Madhya Pradesh - bowed out in the 57-kg category losing to Kazakhstan’s Alzak Ganiya 8-15. The Indian started well opening up a 2-0 lead in the first round and was on an even kneel in the next round before the Kazakh tilted the scales in her favour with a robust final round to book her quarterfinal berth.
No signs of fight
Two Indian taekwondo players – Latika Bhandari and Jasvant gave a glimmer of medal hope by reaching the quarterfinals in their respective weight categories. Latika – featuring in the women’s 53-kg category – lost to Korea’s Yoon Jeongyeon(KOR) 1-13 in a lop-sided bout. The 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games had accounted for Radzhabova Farzona of Tajikistan 7-2 in her opening round.
Jasvant’s medal hopes were crushed when he surrendered meekly to Iran’s Hajizavareh Masoud(IRI) 0-8 in the last eight stage. Jasvant, who had featured in the Guangzhou Asian Games, got the better of Lebanon’s Samaha Michel 4-1 in the first round.
Anand Pandia Rajan continued India’s losing sequence going down to Park Yonghyun of Korea in another one-sided contest – 1-7 – in the men’s 80-kg category. Anand, who had participated in the 2010 Asiad, was no match for his Korean opponent, who backed by his home crowd support, sailed through.
India have one last hope of bagging a medal in taekwondo when 17-year-old Shreya Singh takes on Lee Wonjin of Korea in the women’s 67 kg category on Thursday.
It may be mentioned that the Indian taekwondo team drew a blank at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games. Taekwondo gave the country’s first Asian Games medal at the 2002 edition in Busan, when Surendra Bhandari bagged a bronze in the men’s 58-kg category.
