Aparna Popat sets new record

Jamshedpur:

Popat sets new record, Sridhar men's champion Defending champion Aparna Popat today set a new record retaining the women's singles title for eight years in a row. Second seed Anup Sridhar became the new champion in the men's singles of the 69th Senior National Badminton Championship. Popat of the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board eclipsed the record of Madhumita Bisht when she outplayed 15-year old former junior national champion and 28th seed Saina Nehwal of Andhra Pradesh 11-3, 11-4 in just 19 minutes in Mohan Ahuja Indoor Stadium. Defending the title Fourth seed Popat has been defending her title since 1997 while Madhumita was champion from 1984 to 1990, a period of seven years. In the men's singles, Sridhar (PSPB) trounced teammate and two-time former champion Abhinn Shyam Gupta, seeded 8th, 15-4, 15-5. PSPB pair of Jwala Gutta and Shruti Kurien lifted the women's doubles title overcoming Krishna Dekaraja (PSPB) and Oli Deka (Assam) easily 15-3, 15-3. In the mixed double, PSPB's B R Meenakshi and Marcos Britow outclassed Aparna Balan and Jaison Xavier (Kerala) 15-3, 15-2 to clinch the title. (PTI)