Jakarta Aug 29 (IANS) The Indian mixed doubles table tennis pair of Achanta Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra bagged the first-ever bronze medal in the sport after going down in the semi-finals of the 18th Asian Games here on Wednesday.
Sharath-Manika were outplayed 4-1 (9-11 5-11 13-11 4-11 8-11) in 39 minutes by China s Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha in the last-four clash.
Sharath and Manika who defeated the North Korean pair of An Ji Song and Cha Hyo Sim 3-2 (4-11 12-10 6-11 11-6 11-8) in 38 minutes in the quarter-finals got India s first doubles medal at the Asiad in the sport.
It was also India s second TT medal in Asiad history. The first medal came in this edition with the men s team winning a bronze medal.
"We came with a purpose winning a medal in men team event But we will return home with two bronze medals. That too for the first time ever " said an elated Sharath who may have played his last Asian Games at 36.
Manika said on Twitter: Proud and Happy to have been tied up with @sharathkamal1 in the mixed doubles event and secured a great partnership to achieve a bronze for the country. It also feels great to be the only Indian female Asiad medalist in Table Tennis."
Earlier in the day Sharath-Manika hammered Malaysia s Javen Choong and Karen Dick 3-0 (11-2 11-5 11-8) in the Round-of-32 before going past the South Korean pair of Lee Sangsu and Jeon Jihee with a 3-2 (11-7 7-11 11-8 10-12 11-4) victory in 38 minutes.
Another Indian pair Anthony Amalraj and Madhurika Patkar lost 1-3 (11-6 7-11 5-11 4-11) to Hong Kong s Ho Kwan Kit and Lee Ho Ching in the pre-quarterfinals.
In the Round-of-32 Amalraj-Madhurika defeated Donny Aji and Lilis Indriani of Indonesia 3-1 (11-4 11-13 11-8 11-9).

--IANS pur/vm