NEW DELHI: In a mixed day for the Indian paddlers at the Asian Games on Sunday, Soniya Devi Phairembam secured her place in the final of the women's kayak single 500m event with a commendable second-place finish, while Megha Pradeep faced disappointment in the women's canoe single 200m final.
Soniya Devi's journey to the final began when she finished fourth in the women's kayak single 500m sprint heat 2, clocking a time of 2:17.351 during the morning session. Her determined effort secured her a spot in the semifinals held later in the day.
In the semifinal round, Soniya Devi delivered an impressive performance, claiming the second position with a timing of 2:16.435. She finished just behind Uzbekistan's Madinakhon Ashrafxonova, who secured the top spot with a timing of 2:11.352, while Thailand's Khanyakron Suphawatthanakon took the third position with a timing of 2:18.260.
The final, where medals will be at stake, is scheduled to take place on Tuesday.
However, the Indian contingent had to grapple with disappointment as Megha Pradeep failed to secure a spot in the final of the women's canoe single 200m sprint.
Megha, after finishing last in her heat 1 event, where she faced off against four other competitors, clocking a time of 56.705 and trailing the first-place holder by 4.175 seconds, did manage to progress to the semifinals. Unfortunately, her journey ended there.
In the semifinal, Megha finished in the fourth position, with the top three securing berths in the final. Her timing was recorded at 55.406, leaving her trailing by 3.523 seconds.
While Soniya Devi's qualification has kept India's hopes alive in the women's kayak single 500m event, the nation will be eagerly awaiting her performance in the upcoming final.
(With PTI inputs)
