Commonwealth Games 2014: Nigeria beat Indian paddlers in men's team bronze medal playoff

Quadri Aruna

Glasgow, July 28 (IANS) India's men paddlers suffered a disappointing finish in the team bronze medal playoff, losing to Nigeria 1-3 at the Commonwealth Games on Monday.

India, who had won the bronze in the same category four years ago at home in New Delhi, started well by winning the first singles match, but lost the next three to go down to the Africans at the Scotstoun Sports Campus.

Veteran A. Sharath Kamal gave India a good start by winning the first match 3-0 (11-9, 11-5, 11-7) against Segun Toriola. Nigeria's Quadri Aruna, however, levelled the contest at 1-all with a 3-1 (11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5) win over Harmeet Desai.

Desai, partnering A. Anthony Amalraj in the doubles, provided a good fight to Toriola and Oja Onaolapo, but eventually went down 2-3 (11-3, 9-11, 5-11, 11-9, 9-11).

It boiled down to Sharath Kamal in the crucial second, but the tired 32-year-old lost 1-3 (9-11, 11-3, 7-11, 5-11) to Onaolapo.