Wanted to win gold after shooters won another silver: Advani

GUANGZHOU - After winning the gold at the Asian Games, ace cueist Pankaj Advani said he was motivated to fight back against Myanmar’s OO Nay Thway Oo in the close title contest after hearing that Indian shooters had won one more silver in the morning.

“I took a break when I was 1-2 down and heard that we have won another silver. And If I lose it will be the third one. I told myself ‘No, not again’. I decided to hang in there. I was sure that everything will work out well,” the world champion said.

The Bangalorean retained his title beating OO Nay Thway 33-100, 100-61, 12-101, 101-4, 100-45.

Thway, who downed legendary Singaporean Peter Gilchrist in the semifinal, stood up to the challenge taking a 2-1 lead before Advani showed his class to and turned the tables.

“After the break, everything worked well for me. He had two-three chances at 2-2 to close the match which he did not take. I got one opportunity in the final frame and I made the most of it.”

“There are times when you need to take that extra risk. I took calculated risks and it paid off in the end.”

Advani said he made a heavy weather of the contest which he should have won hands down.

“I have seen that whenever I think that I should win easily, I run into trouble. I was looking at the crowd and thinking they would be lauhging at us for missing easy shots.”