Kashyap lights up disappointing day

Olympic debutant shuttler Parupalli Kashyap began his campaign in style, getting the better of Belgium’s Yuhan Tan 21-14, 21-12 in a Group D match at the Wembley Arena on Saturday. HT reports. Results | Gold winners

Olympic debutant shuttler Parupalli Kashyap began his campaign in style, getting the better of Belgium’s Yuhan Tan 21-14, 21-12 in a Group D match at the Wembley Arena on Saturday.

Indian-shuttler-Parupalli-Kashyap-in-action-against-Belgium-s-Tan-Yuhan-during-their-first-round-match-at-the-Olympic-Games-in-London-PTI-Photo

THE 25-year-old Hyderabadi, ranked 21 in world, took just 38 minutes to see off Tan. There was a little stutter towards the end as lost five consecutive game points, but that did not prove costly. Kashyap plays Tien Minh Nguyen of Vietnam next on Tuesday.

Kashyap’s win came after teammates Jwala Gutta and V Diju lost their opening group mixed doubles match to Indonesia’s Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsi 16-21, 12-21. Diju and Jwala will now have to win their remaining two group matches to qualify.

They face Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhl of Denmark on Sunday, a pair that defeated them in both their previous meetings.

Sawarn in repechage

In rowing, Sawarn Singh Virk failed to qualify for the quarters of the men’s single sculls after he finished fifth with a timing of 6:54.04 in heat 1. The Indian, however, has qualified for the repechage to keep hopes alive.