Monday, October 4, 2010

Silver lining for India on Day 1 as Aussies begin to dominate

NEW DELHI: A day after silencing a carping world with a spectacular opening ceremony, India kicked off its ambitious campaign to win 100 medals at this year's Commonwealth Games by bagging four - two silver and two bronze.

The first medal should have been a cause for celebration but the winner, Soniya Chanu, was inconsolable. Chanu, a favourite to win the women's 48kg weightlifting category, was upstaged by Nigerian schoolgirl Augustine Nwaololo and tearfully apologized. The bronze went to India's Sandhya Rani Atom.

Sukhen Dey gave India its other silver in the men's 56kg weightlifting category, with army man V Srinivas Rao taking bronze. Malaysia's Ibrahim Amirul won gold to add to the three he won in the 2002 Games.

India finished the day at No. 7 on the medals tally, some way off its declared objective of the second spot. But there are still plenty of days and events to go.

Meanwhile, the Australians picked up four of the eight golds on offer. Stephanie Rice may have stayed away, but Alicia Coutts and Kylie Palmer won early golds in the pool. The men's 4x100m freestyle relay team landed a third swimming gold, while the men won the artistic gymnastics team gold - the first time the Aussies have won this event at the Commonwealth Games.

TOI

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