India clinched a historic men’s table tennis gold, thrashing Nigeria 3-0 in the final at the 21st Commonwealth Games here on Monday, to add to the women’s gold that the country had snared on Sunday. India’s campaign was led by the veteran Achanta Sharath Kamal, who had to fight hard to overcome Bode Abiodun 4-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-9 to give India a 1-0 lead. Sathiyan Gnanasekaran had an equally challenging contest with Segun Toriola, as he had to battle hard for a 10-12, 11-3, 11-3, 11-4 win to give India a 2-0 margin.
Harmeet Desai and Gnanasekaran then took on Olajide Omotayo and Abiodun and carved out an 11-8, 11-5, 11-3 win to settle the issue in India’s favour.
This was India’s ninth gold medal in CWG 2018 and followed up on the famous win by the women’s team over Singapore on Sunday.
India had earlier assured of at least a silver medal when they entered the final after beating Singapore 3-2.
India soon got to a 2-1 lead with the doubles duo of Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Harmeet registering a brilliant come-from-behind win against Xue Jie Pang and Shao Feng Ethan Poh 8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8.
But Singapore came back in style to make it 2-2 after the fourth match of the contest witnessed Ning Gao beating Sathiyan 11-5, 10-12, 11-4, 13-11 in a close singles tie.
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