Rehan emerges best athlete of the Games

Guwahati, Feb 16 (UNI) Swimming sensation Rehan Poncha of Karnataka has emerged as the most valuable athlete as he won his ninth Gold today while Manipur and Services fight it out for the top slot at the 33rd National Games here.

As the extravaganza enters the home stretch, the ding-dong battle between Manipur and Services for the medal tally supremacy is on.

Meanwhile, hosts Asom have emerged as a surprise package as they took the the third spot after the end of the seventh day.

Manipur was pipped by Services early in the day for the first time since the beginning the game but the North Eastern state regained the top spot late in the evening with a burst of Gold medals from Sepak Takrew and boxing.

When the news last came in Manipur was on top with 49 Golds with Services breathing down their neck with 47 Gold. However, with late evening boxing matches are poised to tilt the balance in the favour of either sides.

Meanwhile on a cold and windy day, Rehan Poncha continued to strike it rich in the pool and won the 100 m breaststroke in the final day of the swimming event. Richa Mishra was a big let down today and she could not further increase her haul of the eight Gold as young Asom swimmier Fariha Zaman pushed her to second place in the 50 m breaststroke. In the 100m breaststroke, the Delhi girl was even worse as she ended poor fifth.

Rehan's total haul from the Games is 14 medals of which nine are Gold, three Silver and two Bronze while Richa Mishra ended with same number of medals with just one less Gold.

The Karnataka literally monopolised the swimming as one but all the state's 20 Golds medal came from Swimming with Rehan picking up nine while Sikha Tandon got six more.

In badminton, notwithstanding the likes of current National champion Chetan Anand in the ranks, Andhra Pradesh today could not stop Kerala from taking the men's team Gold.

In a nail-biting final, where the last rubber decided the results, Kerala won 3-2 winning the crucial second doubles match comfortably.

In the women's section, a Saina Nehwal-inspired Andhra Pradesh drubbed Maharashtra 2-0 to take the top spot.

In archery, Upashana from Uttar Pradesh staged an upset by defeating reigning national champion Dola Banerjee of Jharkhand to win the Gold in recurve round.

Chekrowelosewro of Nagaland emerged as dark horse to win the Bronze in the same event.

UNI