Four Indians in finals of Asian Junior Individual Squash in China
New Delhi, May 23
Aryaveer Dewan, Shiven Agarwal, Anika Dubey, and Amarya Bajaj advanced to the finals in their respective categories at the 33rd Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships in Panzhihua, China, on Saturday.
Aryaveer, seeded 3/4, defeated Malaysian top seed Nickhileswar Moganasundharam in four games in the semifinals and will meet either Md Alnasafan (KSA) or Jonghyeok Lee (Kor) for the crown. Aryaveer had beaten the Malaysian for the U-17 title last year.
Meanwhile, Shiven, seeded 5/8, beat fellow Indian Squash Academy trainee Lokesh Subramani in a close four-game semifinal and will take on Pakistan's 9/16 seed Nauman Khan for the U-17 title.
Anika, seeded 3/4 and bronze medallist in this age group last year, will battle with Malaysian top seed Harleein Tan for the U-17 crown after her semifinal opponent retired midway through their match.
Amarya, seeded 3/4 and bronze medallist in the boys' U-13 category last year, beat Malaysian second seed Muhammad Sharhan Mohd Saiful in four close games in the semifinals. He will take on top seed Leung Ngo San of Hong Kong in the U-13 final.
Results involving Indians (semifinals):
U-19 Boys: 3/4-Aryaveer Dewan bt 1-Nickhileswar Moganasundharam (Mas) 11-6, 11-4, 3-11, 11-6.
U-17 - Boys: 5/8-Shiven Agarwal bt 5/8-Lokesh Subramani 4-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9. Girls: 3/4-Anika Dubey bt 2-Jinoreeka Ning Manivannan (Mas) 9-11, 3-2 retd.
U-13 -Boys: 1-Leung Ngo San (HK) bt 3/4-Abhyuday Arora 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-4; 3/4-Amarya Bajaj bt 2-Muhammad Sharhan Mohd Saiful (Mas) 11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8. Girls: 1-Kareena Sashikumar (Sgp) bt 3/4-Shanaya Parasrampuria 11-5, 11-6, 13-11; 3/4-Rio Yoshino (Jpn) bt 2-Divyanshi Jain 11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 4-11, 12-10.
— IANS
Reader Comments
What really stands out is Aryaveer Dewan's consistency against the same Malaysian player he beat last year. That mental edge is crucial in junior sports. Hope the Indian Squash Academy continues this momentum!
I just wish we had more media coverage for these athletes. Cricket gets all the attention, but squash players are quietly making India proud on international stages. Anika Dubey's bronze last year and now a final appearance - she deserves recognition!
Impressive depth in Indian junior squash. Four finalists from one country at this level suggests a strong development system. The fact that Shiven Agarwal beat a fellow Indian academy trainee shows healthy internal competition. Good luck to all!
I would love to see more government support for non-cricket sports. Squash requires expensive equipment and court access, yet these kids are beating top seeds from wealthier nations. Real talent! 🇮🇳
Fantastic achievement, but let's also note Divyanshi Jain's tough loss in U-13 girls semis - she pushed Rio Yoshino to five games. That's commendable too. We shouldn't just celebrate winners; these close matches show our future potential.
Shiven vs Nauman Khan in U
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