Jyotika wins fencing gold for GNDU University in Khelo India Games

Jyotika Dutta of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, on Sunday won the epee gold in the fencing competition of the inaugural Khelo India University Games here.

The 22-year-old diminutive epee specialist underlined her growing stature in the sport as she beat Linthoi Haobam of Manipur University in the final.

Just back from a highly productive stint in France, at the International Fencing Federation's High Performance Centre, Jyotika used that experience to bail herself out of a tricky start.

"Adversity teaches you a lot. I had some rough starts but was determined not to make the same mistakes in the knockouts," she said, brushing aside her two defeats in the group stage.

Up against an opponent at least six inches taller than her in Yashkeerat Hayer, Jyotika raced to a five-point lead and completed an emphatic 15-5 win.

But the final was a much tougher proposition, with Manipur's Linthoi matching her point by point. Yet, Jyotika, from Himachal Pradesh, prevailed 15-14 in a tense ...