36th Senior State Sepak Takraw Championship gets underway

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jun 25 : The 36th edition of the Senior State Sepak Takraw Championship kicked off today at Youth Amateur Welfare Association (YAWA) indoor hall at Singjamei Leishangthem Leikai under the auspices of the All  Manipur Sepak Takraw Association (AMSTA).
The opening function of the tournament was graced by Yumnam Khemchand, Minister for MAHUD and Rural Development and Panchayati Raj; Leishangthem Premjit, organising committee chairman; Leishangthem Ibomcha, Dronacharya Awardee and Deputy Director, SAI STC, Imphal and Khomdram Dorendra, AMSTA president as presidium members.
In the opening match of the 15 team men's tournament, hosts YAWA-B edged past SAIRC-A by 2-1 sets to kick off Group B campaign on a winning note.
The hosts, after a bright start, conceded the second set to SAIRC-A but bounced back stronger in the third set to seal the game 21-15, 19-21, 21-19.
Later, IMSUC, Heingang thumped YAWA-A 21-11, 21-10 to open Group A winning account before MPSC-C beat MPSC-A 21-17, 21-17 in another Group A encounter.
In the fourth match (Group B) of the opening day, PUC-A, Kairang beat SAIRC-D 21-12, 21-18.
In the third Group A match of the day, SAIRC-B notched up an easy 21-13, 21-4 win over PUB-B, Kairang.
In the third Group B league match, MPSC-B edged past YAWA-B 21-17, 14-21, 21-12 before PUC-A sealed a similar win against SAIRC-A (21-18, 15-21, 21-12).
In another Group A league match, IMSUC posted second straight win beating SAIRC-C 21-16, 21-14.