Four Odisha women hockey players, who helped India win the Asiad bronze medal, beating Japan 2-1 in the play-off match, included Deep Grace Ekka, Namita Toppo, Lilima Minz and Sunita Lakra.

Other five Odisha players failed to live up to expectations as their performance proved to be below par. Woman sprinter Srabani Nanda was part of the women’s 4x100-metre relay team that finished fifth in heat 1 with a timing of 44.81 seconds.

Weightlifting ace K Ravi Kumar, who had won a gold and a silver in the last two Commonwealth Games,  finished 10th in men`s 77kg category with a total of 313kg, which included 141kg in snatch and 172kg in clean and jerk.

Women rowers Manjula Xess and Sanjukta Dung Dung failed to qualify for the finals in any of the three events they participated in. Incidentally, Orissa’s Pratima Puhana and Pramila Prava Minz had written rowing history for India by becoming the first women pair of the country to win a medal (bronze) in the previous Asian Games at Guangzhou, China, four years ago.

In women`s football, Indian team, featuring Odisha duo Sasmita Mallik and Suprava Samal flattered to deceive. India mauled Maldives 15-0 in the opening match but only to be mauled by South Korea and Thailand by 10-0 identical margin in the next two matches. Howeve, Sasmita shone in the match against Maldives, scoring five goals.

Odisha gymnast Rakesh Patra made it to men’s individual all-around final before withdrawing due peeled palm skin. He was a member of the Indian men team that finished a disappointing 10th in the team all-around event.
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TOP: Odisha hockey star Birendra Lakra celebrates after scoring a goal against Pakistan in the Asian Games final at Incheon on October 2, 2014.
RIGHT: Indian women hockey team back home after winning Asiad bronze medal in Incheon.