Shahjahan won a gold and Niaz Ahmed a bronze, the duo inspiring the whole team as Dolly Akhter and Rubel Rana went on to win silver medals in the 50m women's breaststroke and men's backstroke events respectively later.

Dolly clocked 36.14s, behind Sri Lanka's 15-year-old Mayumi Raheem who won her third gold while Bangladesh's Mahfuza Khatun won the bronze.

Rubel took 28.40s, behind Indian Arjun Muralidharan who broke the Games record with timing of 28.28s.

Shahjahan was also part of the men's 4x100m medley relay team that finished second behind India in the final swimming event of the Games but the jury disqualified the Bangladesh and Pakistan teams as Sri Lanka and Nepal won silver and bronze.

Bangladesh women's team finished fourth in the 4x100m medley relay.

The results of the day's first three events were as depressing as it could have been as Rubel Rana finished last among six competitors in the men's 400m individual medley, Kamal Hossain fifth in the men's 200m freestyle and Sabura Khatun came eighth and last in the women's 200m freestyle.

Bangladesh returned with a haul of 15 swimming medals (1-6-9). Following is the break-up of swimming medalists:

Men's: Shahjahan Ali Rony (gold 50m breaststroke, silver 100m breaststroke); Jewel Ahmed (silver 50 & 100m butterfly); Niaz Ali (bronze 50, 100 & 200m breaststroke); Nazrul Islam (bronze 50m freestyle); Rubel Rana (silver, bronze 200m IM); Rezaul Karim (bronze 100m freestyle); Rezaul Karim, Nazrul Islam, Kamal Hossain, Rafiqul Islam (silver 4x100m freestyle relay).

Women's: Dolly Akhter (silver 50m breaststroke, bronze 200m breaststroke); Mahfuza Akhter (bronze 50 and 100m breaststroke).

KARATE
As losing finalists, Bangladesh won two bronze medals in karate, Jaw Prue in female individual kata and the men's team in male kata team event.

BOXING
The boxing competition ended Tuesday night with Bangladesh winning three bronze medals. Mahmud Ali (54kg), Abdur Rahim (60kg) and Umar Ali (64) won the medals also as losing semifinalists.

FOOTBALL
Pakistan finished Group B runners-up ahead of Maldives due to superior goal difference when they inflicted a heavy 4-0 defeat on Bhutan in the final group match. Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Maldives all ended level on six points.

Pakistan will meet Nepal while India face hosts Sri Lanka in today's two semifinals.

HOCKEY
India will clash archrivals Pakistan in the gold medal match tomorrow at the Nandimithra Ekanayaka hockey ground in Matale after finishing first and second respectively in the league table.

On the final day of the league yesterday, Pakistan crushed Sri Lanka 8-1 while India, gold medalist when hockey was held at the games 11 years ago, handed Bangladesh a 4-0 defeat.

Bangladesh, who conceded two goals in each half, make a bid to retain their bronze medal when they face Sri Lanka in the play-off also tomorrow. Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka by a solitary goal in the league opener.

VOLLEYBALL
The men's volleyball team thrashed Afghanistan 3-0 in the opening match of Group A at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. The Bangladeshi spikers took just 70 minutes to complete victory, taking the sets 25-14, 25-23 and 25-13.

TABLE TENNIS
The paddlers, like the badminton and football teams, returned empty handed after Mahbub Billah and Mostafa Billah were knocked out in the men's doubles quarterfinals, losing in straight sets to the Indian pair. India bagged all seven table tennis gold medals.

MEDAL TABLE
Country G S B

India 68 38 16

Pakistan 20 24 29

Sri Lanka 15 31 44

Nepal 4 5 16

Bangladesh 1 10 20

Afghanistan 0 1 6

Bhutan 0 0 4

Maldives 0 0 0