Monday, 08 July 2013 09:31
The 4th Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) came to a finish with Vietnam emerging as surprise winners when they defeated China 3 – 1 in the final match of the Mixed Team Blitz Event. Indonesia captured Bronze medals in another tense match against Uzbekistan which ended 2.5 – 1.5. These 4 teams qualified from among 20 countries competing in the Preliminaries of a 5-Round Swiss; with the leading team playing against the 4th placed team and the 2nd v 3rd placers contesting the semifinals.
A day before, China won the Gold against an Indian team in the finals of the Mixed Team Rapid Event. Vietnam, the winner of the Preliminaries, had to settle for Bronze against Iran.
China’s Yu Yangyi won the Men Classical after a 7-round Swiss. Salem Saleh of UAE scored a major upset by deafeting China’s Ding Liren in the last round to take Silver. The latter won the Bronze due to a tiebreak among 4 players.
Hou Yifan was the Games’ first Gold Medal winner by taking the Women Classical while her Chinese compatriot Zhao Xue was awarded the Silver. Little known Bhakti Kulkarni from India astonished by capturing Bronze.
Impressive.