Kangra: In a thrilling Youth Boys Under-11 final at the UTT National Ranking Championships held at the Rainbow Khelo India Residential Academy here today, Gem Mahalanabish of West Bengal emerged victorious with a 3-2 win over his fellow state rival Ariv Dutta.
Despite a rocky start, including a tough first game, Gem rallied to clinch the final two games, securing his maiden title in this category. Although Ariv was the favoured competitor, Gem’s strategic play in the first and final games proved decisive.
In the Youth Girls Under-11 final, Assam’s Divija Paul delivered a dominant performance, defeating West Bengal’s Akshita Mahato 3-0. Despite Akshita’s earlier strong showings, Divija’s superior play ensured a one-sided final.
The semifinals were less dramatic compared to the quarterfinals. Ariv Dutta defeated Subham Adhikari in straight games, and Gem Mahalanabish also dispatched Dhrubanko Ghosh with a similar scoreline. However, Dhrubanko made a strong effort, especially in the second game, which Gem clinched on his third game point.
In the quarterfinals, Shubham Adhikari faced a tough challenge from Rajasthan’s top player, taking the match to the decisive fifth game before emerging triumphant. Dhrubanko Ghosh also overcame Rajasthan’s Ishaan Goyal after trailing 1-2, eventually prevailing in the fifth game.
Divija Paul showcased her prowess in the Youth Girls category by overcoming Uttarakhand’s Khyati Pande 3-1 in the semifinals. Despite a challenging quarterfinal match where Divija had to rally from behind, she secured victory with crucial late-game points.
Akshita Mahato, initially leading 2-0 in her semifinal against Haryana’s Avni Janghu, allowed her opponent to level the match before clinching the decisive fifth game with an early lead. Avni had earlier impressed with strong performances against Pehel Gupta of UP and Avyanna Phalaswal, but Akshita’s resilience proved too much.
The finals highlighted the emerging talents in the youth divisions, with dramatic comebacks and impressive performances setting the stage for future competitions.
Results:
Youth Under-11 Boys: Final: Gem Mahalanabish (WB) bt Ariv Dutta (WB) 15-13, 7-11, 5-11, 11-7, 12-10.
Semifinals: Ariv Dutta bt Subham Adhikari (WB) 11-1, 11-9, 11-4; Gem Mahalanabish bt Dhrubanko Ghosh (WB) 11-7, 14-12, 11-5.
Quarterfinals: Ariv Dutta bt H. Tanish (TN) 11-5, 11-6, 11-2; Shubham Adhikari bt Daksh Soni (TTFI 1) 11-9, 11-4, 10-12, 10-12, 11-5; Gem Mahalanabish bt Satvik Sharma (Pun) 11-3, 11-4, 11-8; Dhrubanko Ghosh bt Ishaan Goyal (TTFI 1) 11-3, 7-11, 5-11, 13-11, 11-4.
Youth Under-11 Girls: Final: Divija Paul (ASM) bt Akshita Mahato (WB) 11-6, 11-4, 11-4.
Semifinals: Divija Paul bt Khyati Pande (UKD) 8-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-5; Akshita Mahato bt Avni Janghu (HRN) 11-6, 11-8, 3-11, 7-11, 11-6.
Quarterfinals: Divija Paul bt Aarna Sahney 12-10, 12-10, 11-6; Khyati Pande bt Grace Sukhija (Del) 11-8, 11-9, 13-11; Avni Janghu bt Pehel Gupta (UP) 11-6, 8-11, 11-7, 11-1; Akshita Mahato bt Avyanna Phalaswal (Har) 11-8, 11-9, 5-11, 11-13, 11-7.
