68th State Masters Badminton Championships underway

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Feb 26 : The 68th State Masters Badminton Championships commenced today at MSBA indoor stadium at DM University Campus under the aegis of Manipur State Badminton Association.
As many as 94 athletes from across the State will be competing for top honours in various categories and events at the championship that was formally inaugurated in the presence of Th Biswajit, president of MSBA.
The day saw Sanjenbam Ningthoujao of IWDBA pull off a 21-15, 21-14 win over Hmangte Sarjan Kom of IEDBA in the first quarterfinal match of the 35+ men’s  singles competition to book his semi-final ticket.
RK Henry of BDBA, Longjam Premjit of TDBA and K Ravi Shankar of IWDBA also advanced to the semi-finals with quarterfinal victories.
RK Henry, who made it to the quarterfinals with a 21-5, 21-9 win over IEDBA’s N Amritasen, overcame Debabarta Konsam of IEDBA 21-12, 21-12 in the second quarterfinal match of the competition to earn his semi-final ticket.
Ngangbam Chandrasekhar of IWDBA who outlasted Nongthombam Surjit of IEDBA 21-17, 19-21, 21-15 in the last-16 round earlier today meanwhile suffered 21-19, 15-21, 10-21 loss to Longjam Premjit in the third quarterfinal match today before K Ravi Shankar of IWDBA saw off Kangjam Janus of IWDBA 21-16, 21-19 in the last quarterfinal match.
Earlier in the round of 16, K Ravi Shankar  beat L Bikram of IEDBA 21-15, 21-11 to make it to the quarterfinals.
40+ men’s singles
Sagolsem Surkumar Ningthouja of IEDBA and Leishangthem Dinesh of KDBA meanwhile advanced to the 40+ men’s singles semi-finals on Day 1 of the chamoionship.
Surkumar got the better of Soubam Vinay 21-13, 19-21, 21-19 in the first quarterfinal match as Leishangthem Dinesh  outlasted compatriot Naorem Saranjit 21-13, 21-11.
Three progress into 50+ singles semis
The opening day also witnessed three 50+ veterans making their way to the semi-finals with straight sets victories.
In the first quarterfinal match, Johny Mahesh Wahengbam of IWDBA pulled off a 21-19, 21-18 win over KDBA’s Naorem Britain before W Amusana of IEDBA secured a 21-10, 21-15 win over Moirangthem Sanatomba and Mayengbam Surjit of IWDBA outlasted ACDBA’s Augustine Anal 21-16, 21-8 in the other quarterfinal matches.
55+ men’s singles
Mukesh Taterway of SDBA and Hemam Inaocha of BDBA were able to progress into the semi-finals of the 55+ men’s singles competition.
Mukesh Taterway overwhelmed Konthoujam Umakanta of IWDBA 21-5, 21-8 in the first quarterfinal match before Hemam Inaocha secured a hardfought 17-21, 21-13, 21-7 win over PP Ronald of SDBA in the second quarterfinal match.