Kangra: The inaugural UTT National Ranking Championships of the season kicked off at the Rainbow Khelo India Residential Academy with a bang! The Youth Under-11 boys and girls set the stage alight, showcasing their flair and intensity right from the start.
Day 1 saw the Youth Under-11 Girls blazing through their group stages with a fierce display of skill. Out of 71 paddlers divided into 22 groups, only the sharpest survived to move on to the knockout rounds. While some matches were nail-bitingly close, the standout performers emerged victorious with commanding performances. The knockout draw will feature 32 players, with 10 girls earning a first-round bye.
In the Youth Under-11 Boys category, the action was equally thrilling. With 87 competitors battling it out, 28 boys made it to the main draw, and four group toppers secured first-round byes. The knockout matches for both boys and girls are set to begin tomorrow, promising even more excitement.
As for the Under-13 Boys and Girls, the players began their campaign with the first two rounds, and the third round to follow tomorrow.
In the Under-11 Girls’ division, Tamil Nadu’s N. Sahana and R.N. Pranavi stood out with their exceptional performances. Sahana, who made her debut, navigated a gruelling schedule with impressive victories. But a hard-fought win against Gujarat’s Misha Lakhani in a five-game thriller. This win enabled Sahana to breeze past Punjab’s Anmolpreet Kaur in the final group outing with consummate ease.
Pranavi was equally dominant, sweeping her matches with 3-0 scores. She defeated Delhi’s Mainde Mandar Sragvi, Andhra’s Maanvika Govindaraju, and West Bengal’s Jenelia Datta Chowdhury, showcasing her skill and precision.
In the Boys’ section, Delhi’s Arunim Agarwal fought through a tough second round, overcoming Bengal’s Debanshu Chakraborty and later clinching a 3-0 win against Goan rival Colaso Ishaan.
Bengal’s Sohan Adhikari also demonstrated his resilience with a dramatic comeback win against Uttarakhand’s Shardul, saving six-game points before securing victory. He then battled through another tough match against Delhi’s Rayansh Chaturvedi, emerging victorious in a five-game thriller.
With the knockout rounds on the horizon, the championship is already shaping to be a riveting spectacle of talent and determination.