India Ends Campaign with Impressive Medal Haul
Host nation India concluded its campaign at the 5th Bonus Asia Cup Bridge Championships with an impressive haul of three Silver medals and one Bronze, underlining the country's strong performance across both team and matchpoint finals. The championships, recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) and supported by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), were held in Panaji, Goa.
India B Seniors' Dramatic Run to Silver
The standout performance came from the India B Seniors team, which topped the league stage before scripting one of the tournament's most memorable victories—a dramatic 126-125 (1 IMP) semifinal win over Japan—to book a place in the Gold Medal Final. The team eventually settled for Silver after a hard-fought championship clash against Australia. The India B Seniors squad comprised Sukamal Das, Hemant Jalan, Jitendra Solani, Anil Padhye, Rajesh Dalal and Raju Tolani, guided by Coach and NPC Anal Shah. Their remarkable campaign saw India remain in contention for the title until the closing stages of the final.
Bronze in Men's Team and Success in Matchpoint Finals
India also celebrated a Bronze medal in the Men's Team Championship, with the India A team finishing on the podium. Further success came in the Matchpoint Finals, where Savleen Thadani and Sadhana Gupta secured Silver in the Women's Pairs, while Subir Majumder and Sujit Kumar Bhattacharjee claimed Silver in the Seniors Pairs.
Gold Medal Winners from Across Asia
Gold medals in the Team Championships were shared among Asia's leading bridge nations. Australia won the Seniors title, Hong Kong China emerged champions in the Men's event, Indonesia claimed the Women's title, and China secured the Mixed Teams crown. In the Matchpoint Finals, Wei Ho and Sun Wei Lee (Chinese Taipei) won the Men's title, Barbara Travis and Lori Smith (Australia) triumphed in the Women's event, Suk King Chan and Kon Wong (Hong Kong China) claimed the Mixed title, while Younghong Cheng and Wei Wei Tsao (Chinese Taipei) captured the Seniors crown.
Additional Victory in HCL Friendship Pairs
India also excelled in the HCL Friendship Pairs, an additional event held alongside the championships. Arun Bapat and Ajay Khare emerged champions to win Gold, finishing first with 616.64 points, while Kamna Sharma and Abhijit Pal secured the Bronze medal with 586.82 points, adding further distinction to India's overall campaign.
India's Growing Stature in Bridge
India's campaign was marked by resilience, consistency and depth, highlighted by the Seniors' inspiring run to the final and medal-winning performances across multiple disciplines. With three Silver medals and one Bronze, plus Gold and Bronze in the Friendship Pairs, the host nation reinforced its growing stature among Asia's leading bridge-playing nations. The Awards Night in Panaji celebrated champions from across Asia, bringing to a close a thrilling week of world-class bridge competition.
