Geet Sethi wins bronze in billiards singles
India's top-ranked cueist Geet Sethi beat Aung San Oo of Myanmar to win the bronze medal in
billiards singles at the Asian Games in Busan on Tuesday.
Sethi had lost to another Kyaw Oo U of Myanmar in the semi-finals yesterday.
Pre-tournament favourite Geet Sethi ended India's campaign in cue sports with a bronze medal from the billiards singles event at the 14th Asian Games in Busan on Tuesday.
Sethi, who won the silver in the last Games in Bangkok,
losing to compatriot Ashok Shandilya in the final, wrapped up the third
place match in about 25 minutes, beating Aung San Oo of
Mayanmar 2-0 over best of three-frames, at the Dongju
stadium.
India finished with three medals, including a
gold in snooker doubles by Yasin Merchant and Rafath Habib, and
a silver by Sethi and Alok Kumar in billiards doubles.
At the last Games in Bangkok, India had won two gold, a silver
and a bronze medal in billiards.
Sethi tossed for the match and, after Aung San Oo made 19
in his first visit, played with vision. Sethi's forthright
approach helped him to clear the table with an unfinished
break of 96.
With the whole Indian team present at the half-packed
indoor hall, Sethi's determination in not allowing the match
drift into the decider was evident.
Spurred by the quick success in the first frame, Sethi took lesser
time in winning the second and the match.
He came up with an unfinished break of 98 in the second
frame, denying his rival any chance of a comeback.
However, the former world champion was still disappointed after failing to win the semi-final
yesterday.
"I really played well today. At least, I made sure of a
medal for our country," Sethi said, trying to hide his
disappointment.
Asked whether Ashok Shandiliya's presence in the squad
would have made any difference, Sethi said: "Shandilya is a
gutsy player. In Bangkok, he collapsed in doubles but in
singles he took the challenge out of his skin. He is
definitely a fighter."
Before the team left the Indian shores there were
allegations of favouritism in the selection of the team for
both billiards and snooker but Sethi rubbished these claims.
"It was an unbiased selection for this Games. In this
shorter format of the sport, one cannot predict anything,"
he said.
"The gold haul by Yasin and Rafath enhanced our morale
but we failed to take on from their excellent performance,
which was also India's first gold medal in this Games," he
said.
Summing up the format and competition in the 14th edition
of the Games, Sethi said: "Cue sport is growing rapidly in
this region. India were the leaders once but we cannot take
anyone or anything lightly concerning the sport.
"Compared to the Bangkok Games, where the sport made its
debut, there was a stiffer competition in Busan and I am sure
the trend will only make India sit up and programme for a
systematised training of our youngsters."
Apart from the medal winners, the other members in the
squad put up a disappointing performance.
Devendra Joshi, who had won a bronze with B Bhaskar in
billiards doubles in Bangkok, failed to cross the first round,
while Siddharth Anand did not impress at all, stumbling at the
first hurdle in both billiards three cusion singles and carom.
Yasin Merchant lost in eight ball pool singles pre-quarter
finals. While Merchant, Pankaj Advani and Manan Chandra were
eliminated in the pe-quarter-finals of snooker team event,
Dharminder Lily crashed out of eight ball pool singles in the
pre-quarters.
Lily along with Amit Khansaheb was also ousted in eight
ball pool doubles. Mukesh Rehani lost in the quarter-finals in
nine-ball pool singles.