Double delight for Maharashtra’s Diya Chitale, wins twin gold in UTT 81st Nationals 

Mumbai girl Diya Chitale put up an impressive performance to clinch two individual gold medals in UTT 81st Junior and Youth National & Inter-State Table Tennis Championships in Jammu.

In the final of junior girls singles in the U-18 category, Diya thrashed Swastika Ghosh, fellow player from Maharashtra, in straight sets 11-6, 11-2, 11-9, 11-5. However, in the youth girls (U-21) singles final, the 16-year-old paddler had to put some fight during her 10-12, 11-8,19-17, 11-6, 11-6 win against Surbhi Patwari of Bengal.

After going down in the first game 10-12, Diya changed the gears and showed great skills to win the match as well as the gold. Earlier Diya had also played a crucial part in Maharashtra team’s gold-winning feat during team event in the ongoing competition. Interestingly Diya has entered into the competition though qualifying rounds in both categories. Diya also became the second girl, after Archana Kamath, to win both the title.

In the junior boys singles, Delhi’s Payas Jain emerged champion after he beat statemate Yashansh Malik 11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7 inthe final. Telangana’s Fidel Rafeeque Snehit clinched youth boy’s singles title after registering an easy win over Delhi’s Shreyaans Goel 11-4, 11-6, 11-5,11-7.

Maharashtra paddlers bagged five gold, three silver and five bronze medals in the ongoing competition.