GIRLS HAVE GOLD IN SIGHT

Tania, Humpy And Bhakti Win As India Go A Point Clear With Only A Round To Play

- Amit Karmarkar

Mamallpuram: Tania Sachdev started her clock and covered her face before playing the first move against Xeniya Balabayeva of Kazakhstan. Maybe she took a deep breath and said a prayer to herself as she embarked on her must-win journey with white pieces.

And by the end of the day, her prayers were answered.

Not only did top seeds India beat 10th seed Kazakhstan 3.5-0.5 in the 10th and penultimate round, a draw between Georgia and Poland — the other overnight leaders — took India to sole lead with 17 match points. Now, the women’s first ever Olympiad medal — and a gold at that — is entirely in their hands.