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Bhavani Devi makes it to pre-quarters, fuels India's hope of maiden Asian Games medal in fencing In pursuit of a maiden Asian Games medal in fencing, the 30-year-old Tokyo Olympian out-skilled all her five opponents to top the pool.
PTI
Last Updated IST
<div class="paragraphs"><p>Bhavani Devi file photo.</p></div>

Bhavani Devi file photo.

Credit: DH Photo

Star Indian fencer Bhavani Devi stormed into the women's sabre individual pre-quarterfinals, earning the top rank in her pool at the Asian Games here on Tuesday.

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In pursuit of a maiden Asian Games medal in fencing, the 30-year-old Tokyo Olympian out-skilled all her five opponents to top the pool.

She started off by beating her Singapore rival Juliet Jie Min Heng 5-2, and then out-skilled Saudi Arabia's Alhsna Alhammad 5-1.

Against Karina Dospay, the Asian Championships bronze medal-winning Indian prevailed 5-3.

In her last two pool fixtures, she easily beat Uzbekistan's Zaynab Dayibekova and Roksana Khatun of Bangladesh by identical 5-1 margins to top the pool.

The 30-year-old, who became the first Indian fencer to make the Tokyo Olympics, will face Thailand's Tonkhaw Phokaew in the round of 16.

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(Published 26 September 2023, 08:45 IST)