Indore Sports Update: Used to row canoe to help fisherman father, says Mansi

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Mansi Batham, who scripted history by winning gold in canoe slalom event in the girls' category. Canoe slalom was introduced for the first time in the Khelo India Youth Games. Mansi secured medal in the C2 event without much competition.

She started from a small pond in Bhopal where she as a child rowed a canoe to help her fisherman father, who passed away a few years back. And today, she has won gold in the lap of Narmada at Sahasradhara .

Mansi said, “I want to win a medal in the Olympics for the country. I know this journey will be difficult but I want to work hard for it. I have come here overcoming all difficulties and I do not want to stop now. Now my brother has also got a job and I know that he will support me in every way, as he has been doing till now. I just want to do my job.”

Mansi said that her father died a few years ago due to heart attack. According to Mansi, “My father used to catch fish in a small pond. I used to row a boat to help him. After the death of my father, my brother started doing that work. Grandmother too offered support. Just two-three months ago my brother got a job in a bank. Now he can take care of us four siblings and mother very well.”

Mansi said, “Earlier, apart from going to school, my job was to row a kayak with my father. After this when Adventure Water Sports School opened in our locality, my brother secured my admission. Initially, I learned swimming and then started boating. My brother was also in this game. I played the first Nationals with him, which was held in Hoshangabad.”

Mansi  said that as she was into white water game, she had to face many difficulties while practicing. The necessary infrastructure for my game was not available. “We devised a way. Earlier, we used to practice in the small pond and then used to come to Sahasradhara two to three days before any event. There our coaches used to make us practice according to the event.”

Akanksha braves pain to become champion 

For Maharashtra weightlifter Akanksha Vyavahe, who dreams to emulate Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu, it was a struggle with pain in the Khelo India Youth Games. Akanksha undoubtedly emerged as the champion in the 45kg category but she faced a stiff challenge from silver medal winner Asmita Dhone. In the clean and jerk, Asmita lifted 82 kg against Akanksha's 80 kg, indicating to the budding athlete that the new weight category was not a bed of roses for her.

Akanksha herself admitted that the competition was tough. “Though I improved my performance but I will have to take a fresh look at how I can improve further. This was only my second tournament in the new weight category after the Nagercoil Nationals. Now, I am going to Patiala camp to rectify my mistakes. I feel I could have done better than this but for some reasons I missed it.”       

Akanksha also said that she was suffering from pain in her elbow from the very first lift. The pain was the result of an injury sustained during last year's international event in Mexico.    

Akanksha said, “I suffered pain during the first jerk because my jerk was unbalanced. The first lift itself was hurting but still I was adamant. I rushed a bit in the last clean and jerk lift and that ruined my lift.”

Akanksha is happy with the arrangements in Indore

Akanksha looked happy with the arrangements at Indore's basketball complex for the Khelo India Youth Games. The platform was huge. The stage was also very big. Everything seemed to be of national and international level and then there was a lot of fighting. “Initially I was enjoying my game. The medal was not on my mind but as the game progressed, my spirit also rose and I started thinking about the medal. I also got a lot of support and cooperation from the spectators present in the stadium.”

MYCC  register  thrilling win, in semis

Under the MPCA A grade one-day / two-day cricket competition, a two-day quarter final match was played between LSGCA and MYCC. Batting first LSGCA scored 194 runs in 57 overs losing all wickets in the process. Tanmay Patki scored the highest with 43 runs. Nayanraj Mevada took 5 wickets, Amarnath, Swaraj and Akash took one wicket each. In reply, MYCC innings folded for 182 runs in their first innings in 53 overs. LSGCA secured a significant lead of 12 runs. Harshit Jain took 5, Harshal Kadam took 3 and Ravi Mandloi took 2 wickets. LSGCA scored 129 runs in their second innings in 38 overs and set a target of 141 runs in 28 overs for MYCC. Chasing the target, the MYCC team scored 143 runs for 8 wickets in 25 overs and won the match by 2 wickets to enter the semi-finals. Raj Dabi contributed 36 not out and Chanchal Rathore contributed 31 runs. Harshit Jain bowled brilliantly in the second innings and took 5 wickets and grabbed 10 wickets in the whole match.

Easy win for Indore Colts

In the match played between Indore Colts and Bhaskar Academy at GACC ground  in the MYCC’ A’ grade competition, Bhaskar Academy  scored 128 runs in 43 overs. Sarthak Ojha scored maximum 38 runs. Manan Mehta and Jayant Gurjar took three wickets each and Gaurav Dashore took 2 wickets. In reply, Indore Colts won the match easily by 9 wickets by scoring 129 runs in 22 overs losing one wicket in the process. Manan Rathore contributed 61 not out and Prakhar Kag contributed 51 not out. 

Richa Patwardhan in LIC India TT team 

All India Table Tennis Championship of Life Insurance Corporation of India was organised in Bhopal recently.

In the competition, Richa Patwardhan of Indore Division, performed brilliantly  and won All India National Award of LIC. On the basis  of her performance, Richa has been   selected in  LIC’s India team , which will  take  part in the ongoing  Public  Undertaking all India Table Tennis competition  at Goa from  February7 to 10 .

On her achievements, Senior Divisional Manager Rajeev Jolly, Manager Personnel Vinita Asrani, Secretary of Divisional Sports Committee Pramod Gangarade and Rajesh Gidwani wished Richa for her bright future.