KATHMANDU, Dec 18: South Asian powerhouse India claimed top position in four events out of six in the BWF Yonex Sunrise International Series 2016 badminton tournament that concluded in the capital on Saturday.
Indian players bagged first positions in the men's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles events while Vietnamese shuttler snatched first position in the women's singles category.
Abhishek Yelegar edged past his fellow countryman Siddharath Thakur 21-16, 21-14 to claim first position in the men's singles event. Similarly, the Indian pair of Arjun MR and Ramchandran Shlok registered a 21-18, 21 victory over Pakistani pair of Rizwan Azam and Sulehri Kashif Ali in the men's doubles final.
In the all-India final of the women's doubles event, the pair of Jakkampudi Meghana and Poorvisha S Ram overcame the pair of Anoushka Parikh and Harika Veludurthi 21-16, 21-12. Likewise in the mixed doubles final, India's Saurabh Sharma and Anoushka Parikh overcame the pair of Venkat Gaurav Prasad and Juhi Dewangan of the same country 14-21, 21-19, 21-19.
In the women's singles final, the only event whose summit clash saw non Indian players, was won by Vietnamese shuttler Thuy Linh Nguyen registering a 21-17, 21-16 victory over Indonesian player Devi Yunita Indah Sari.
Altogether 72 players from nine nations including 27 from Nepal had participated in the tournament that started from December 13 at the Dasharath Stadium's covered hall in Tripureshwar.
None of the Nepali players crossed the quarterfinals as the host nation wrapped up the tournament without any medal.
Int’l badminton series in Nepal from Dec 13
