Karnataka reigned supreme in the men’s team badminton championship at the 37th National Games Goa at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium at Taleigao Plateau on Saturday.
Karnataka got the better of Maharashtra 3-1 in the best-of-five rubber with BWF World Junior Championship Bronze-medallist Ayush Shetty winning a close match against Darshan Pujari to make it an unassailable lead for the Karnataka team.
Ayush was surrounded by his team-mates running on to the court after he clinched the match point before breaking into a celebratory victory lap.
“We had a strong team and were confident of doing well,” said a beaming Ayush after the final. “I had my strategy in place as I had played Darshan in the past, but he changed his game in the middle. He played some good lifts,” commented Ayush, who will now be gunning for glory in the individual event that begins tomorrow.
Results:
Bhargav S.-Harsheel Dani18-21 21-19 21-15
Pruthvi Roy K.-Rohan Gurbani21-23 24-22 14-21
Nithin H.V.Sai Pratheek K.-Deep RambhiyaAkshan Shetty21-12 21-14
Ayush Shetty-Darshan Pujari 21-16 21-17
