CUTTACK 30-May-2015 5
Odisha girls created history by winning the team title for first time in the 18th Sub-junior National Sepak Takraw Championship held at Nagercoil in Tamil Nadu from May 23 to 26. Odisha girls beat Telangana in the final 3-0 and Goa in the semifinals 2-1. Earlier in their two group league matches, Odisha girls beat Kerala 3-0, but went down to Telangana 1-2.
Defending champions Odisha boys team finished third after losing to Manipur in the semifinals by 1-2 sets. Earlier in the group stage, Odisha blanked Karnataka and Kerala by 3-0 identical margin, but lost to host Tamil Nadu 1-2.
ODISHA TEAMS:
BOYS: Sk Samiullha Dabir, Abhinash Nanda, Sumya Ranjan Dash, Sk Kalam, Jogesh Behera (all Cuttack); Bhabani Sankar Jena, Anil Kumar Mukhi, Nikhil Kangari, Dibyadarshan Sahoo, Balabhadra Mukhi, Khageswar Behera (all Keonjhar); Sonaram Soren (KISS). Manager: Susanta Ku Behera (Rourkela); Coaches: Gouranga Nayak (Keonjhar), Bulu Patra (Cuttack).
GIRLS: Sangita Kishan (KISS), Ritanjali Barik, Lipika Rani Sahoo, Laxmipriya Sardar, Baula Mahanta, Kalapana Karua (all Keonjhar); Swarna Prava Mandal, A Srabani, Anupama Dalei, Bhabani Patra, Ranjita Das, Chandrika Samal (all Cuttack). Manager: Rita Behera (Cuttack); Coaches: Lalatendu Swain (Cuttack), Namita Giri (Keonjhar).
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PHOTO: Odisha players on their return home at Cuttack railway station on May 30, 2015.
