KOCHI: While sports-lovers in Kerala have been raising an alarm over the increasing number of Malayalis winning laurels for other states in various national competitions, the 34th National Games in progress in Jharkhand has brought forth a case in the reverse.
Manipur native O Wangoliema Chanu claimed a bronze medal for Kerala in the women’s 59-62 kg Taekwondo event at the Ganpat Rai Indoor Stadium in Ranchi on Monday. She lost in the semifinals to Shristi Singh of Uttar Pradesh 10-1, gaining Kerala’s first medal of the current games as both losing semifinalists in contact sports, like taekwondo and boxing, are awarded bronze medals.
The 16-year old has been training under B Balagopal at the Sports Authority of India’s centre at the Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education in Thiruvananthapuram for the last three years.
Balagopal is accompanying the Kerala team in Jharkhand.
Meanwhile, the Kerala men’s and women’s volleyball teams secured their second straight victories in the preliminary league to move into the semifinals.
At the Harivansh Tana Bhagat Indoor Stadium in Ranchi, the Kerala men beat Services 25-22, 28-26, 25-18 in group B while the eves defeated Uttar Pradesh 25-15, 25-6, 25-16 in group A.
Kerala men had beaten Punjab 25-21, 25-21, 25-22 while the women had got the better of hosts Jharkhand 25- 15, 25-17, 25-11 in their opening matches on Sunday.
Kerala rowers moved into the semifinals in four events at the Maithon Dam in Dhanbad.
In waterpolo, Kerala notched up their second win beating the hosts 8-0 at the Veer Budhu Bhagat Aquatic Stadium.
