New Delhi:
It was fitting that Golden girl Saina Nehwal got the 38th Gold that established India firmly at No 2 on the medals tally at the Delhi Commonwealth Games.
MEDALS TALLYAustralia was home in style as numero uno already. But the real battle was being fought just behind them for the Number 2 slot on the tally. As Saina Nehwal began her women's singles final against Malaysian Mew Choo Wong, it was India 37 Golds, England 37 Golds. And England ahead because they had more Silvers.
So Saina went in knowing she had only one option - win Gold. She lost the first game, but never looked back thereafter. In the final game, Mew could only look on as Saina piled up the points, holding seven match points eventually. Mew could save but one, before Saina ended the match and all of India exhaled. Score: 19-21, 23-21, 21-13
England began Thursday ahead on Golds - they had 37 to India's 36. But the women shuttlers were the heroes of the day. First, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa won the women's doubles event to bag that 37th Gold medal to equal England's Gold haul, and then it was Saina's moment to take India ahead.
On the other side, England's Lynne Hutchison dropped her ribbon twice during her rhythmic gymnastics routine and England lost all its doubles badminton finals today.
WEDNESDAY
Nails were bitten to the quick all of Wednesday, as India and England raced neck and neck. At lights out, India and England had 36 and 37 Golds respectively.
In the morning yesterday, when boxer Tom Stalker beat Scotland's Josh Taylor in the final of the lightweight category, England equaled India's Gold tally of 32 and edged past to move to the second spot as they had more medals in their kitty. Then, shooter Richard Brickell ensured England took a decisive lead when he won the 33rd Gold for his country in the men's skeet event.
But the day was not over yet. For table tennis pair Achanta Sharath Kamal and Subhajit Saha won their final to get India its 33rd Gold. Equal, but with England ahead on medal tally.
Scarcely had celebrations begun in the Indian camp, that England's Natalie Melmore claimed the women's singles title of the lawn bowls competition. And England was in front again on the penultimate day of the Games. And Tom Daley won the 10m platform diving Gold to make it 35 for England. Parag Patel gave another boost to England after he won the full-bore shooting singles gold. Three Gold medals and about 40 total medals ahead.
Just as the math was going decidedly the England way, came news from the boxing ring. Suranjoy Mayengbam had picked Gold in the 52-kg Fly Weight event after his Kenyan opponent Benson Njangiru gave him a walkover. This was the 34th Gold for India.
Soon after, Manoj Kumar won 35th Gold in the 64 kg Light Welter Weight final, ironically beating England's Bradley Saunders. England made quick amendments in the tally as Simon Vallily won the Heavy Weight boxing gold. But India's Paramjeet Samota had other ideas. He got 36th Gold for India after he won his +91 Kg Super Heavy Weight bout.