New Delhi [India], March 24 : Dream Sports Championship U-15 Table Tennis saw an intense final clash in the boys category with Chandigarh's Sahil Rawat defeating Jammu and Kashmir's (J-K) Ritvik Gupta in a seven-set thriller.
After losing the first set, the 15-year-old came back strong to win the match 6-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-9, 11-5, a release said.
In the girls category, which was the final match and main event of the evening, Mumbai's Divyanshi Bhowmick picked a dominating 11-5, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7 win over West Bengal's Shreya Dhar to claim the title.
Olympians Sharath Kamal and Sreeja Akula presented the tournament winners with a Rs 1 lakh cash prize as a reward for their remarkable achievements. The runners-up also received an Rs. 50,000 cash prize.
"I feel elated to win the cash prize. Such incentives will help us athletes secure our future. The tournament was a fantastic opportunity for us youngsters," Sahil Rawat said, according to DSC press release.
Divyanshi, who is India's no. 1 in the Girls U-15 category, said the environment and arrangements at Dream Sports Championship were quite amazing and entertaining.
"It was also encouraging to hear stories from Sharath Sir and Sreeja Ma'am, as they both have played for many years," she said.
India table tennis legend Sharath Kamal praised the tournament organisers.
"The most important aspect of this tournament is that you are creating a funnel for athletes and are able to scout. The grooming is the next part, but at least you are able to unearth new talent first."
Sreeja Akula, who was part of India's 2024 Paris Olympics contingent, said, "It is the first time I am seeing a youth tournament of this scale. It provided good exposure and experience for young athletes. I hope this tournament happens every year."
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