Bangalore: Pankaj Advani of Bangalore and former World Champion of Billiards, besides Khel Ratna at 20, won the first gold medal for India, in the 16th Asiad at Guang Zhou City in China, to raise India’s rankings among Medal winners on Sunday.
Any number of silver medals would not count, but one gold won by a small nation can raise its ranks. India as a major sports nation, had won the last medal in gold, in CW Games in New Delhi taking India to the 2nd position among medal winners only last month.
Presently P. Advani’s lone gold medal (like that of Abhinav Bindra in Beijing Olympics) will raise Indian hopes higher.
The current form of Indian sportsmen is not much flattering, in badminton, weight-lifting hockey, chess, and some other games in the last 3 days. At that juncture, Advani’s first and lone gold medal will push the spirits of other players and athletes long way up.
Advani lost his finals in World billiards recently, but made up for it now.