Page 29 - Olympics

Expecting Aditi to win a medal at Paris Olympics, says PGTI head Kapil Dev

India's leading golfer Aditi Ashok can go one step further and win a medal at the Paris Olympics provided her form does not betray her in pressure situations, feels legendary cricketer and newly appointed PGTI president Kapil Dev. Aditi won hearts by finishing fourth at the Tokyo Olympics after being in medal contention till the very end. She finished a stroke behind the bronze medallist Lydia Ko and two strokes behind gold winner Nelly Korda. Aditi's form deserted her on the final day after she was second overnight. "I want to see Aditi playing with the same pomp that she played with in the Tokyo Olympics. For cricketers and golfers, form is very important. If Aditi plays in the same form, she has a good chance to win a medal. And if she has a bad week, then she can only sit out and rue the loss," Kapil told PTI Videos in an exclusive interview. The World Cup winning captain, who has been playing on the PGTI circuit for many years, felt there was a severe dearth of quality ...

Olympics Cell clears proposals for equipment of Paris-bound athletes

The Sports Ministry's Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) on Thursday approved multiple proposals for assistance towards equipment by athletes and para athletes in the build up to the Paris Olympics and Paralympic Games. At its weekly meeting, the MOC has approved a proposal of paralympic table tennis medallist Bhavina Patel for assistance to compete in ITTF Para Table Tennis Asia Training Camp 2024 in Thailand from July 16 to 20 along with her coach and escort. It also approved the request of para shooters -- Manish Narwal, Rudranksh Khandelwal, Rubina Francis and Sriharsha R Devareddy -- for various sport shooting related equipment. These include air rifle for Sriharsha and Morini pistol for Rubina and assistance towards procurement of two javelins (Valhalla 800g Medium NXB and Diana Carbon 600g) for para-athlete Sandeep Choudhary. The MOC also approved the request for financial assistance towards procurement of equipment for archers Ankita Bhakat, Deepika Kumari and para-archers Sheetal

Russia war threatens Ukraine's Olympic future; a young gymnast offers hope

When Oleksandra Paskal first took to the mat as a 4-year-old, her rhythmic gymnastics coach saw nothing but potential in a sport where the Olympics is the ultimate goal. Then a Russian missile crushed her summer house in the southern Odesa region, burying her beneath the debris and severing her left leg. Oleksandra's coach, Inga Kovalchuk, prides herself on her ability to spot the future. But it's increasingly clear that Russia's war on Ukraine is demolishing the seeds of a sports culture that was a European powerhouse. Two years after she was injured in May 2022, Oleksandra was among 12 girls diligently following the instructions of their demanding coach. No one paid attention to her prosthetic leg, but although she has even more of the grit and dedication that first caught Kovalchuk's eye, she will never be quite the same. Oleksandra, you do the exercise on full foot, the others on half toes, Kovalchuk told the group. Now 8, the girl who once aimed to compete at the Olympics now

Ukrainian boxer sacrifices Olympic dream to fight against Russia's invasion

Maksym Halinichev won silver at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires in a match described at the time as two of the best young fighters going for glory. He considered the bout a loss it wasn't gold, after all but it gave him a map for the future. So Halinichev made plans: He would defeat that boxer the next time around. He would teach his daughter the basics of his sport so she could defend herself. And he would win a medal for Ukraine at the Paris Olympics. Halinchev outlined those ambitions as an athlete in an interview for the Ukraine Boxing Federation website in December 2021, as Russian troops were already massing at Ukraine's borders. Asked if he was afraid before a fight, he described his thinking. Fear can influence people in various ways. Some people are paralyzed by it. Some react by becoming more liberated, he said then. If you can control yourself and your body and if you can set yourself the right way, then the fear will retreat. He'll not get to prove that philosophy

In his 5th Olympics, flagbearer Sharath Kamal feels his best is yet to come

Set for his fifth Olympic appearance in Paris, Indian flagbearer Achanta Sharath Kamal feels he is scaling new heights with each passing year and believes his "best is yet to come." The 41-year-old turned the clock back to win three gold medals, including one in men's singles, at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022. He returned empty-handed at last year's Asian Games in Hangzhou, but Sharath helped Indian men's team clinch a historic Paris Olympics quota via world rankings following their last-16 finish at the World Table Tennis Championships in Busan in February. "I am happy that I'm scaling new heights with each passing year, besides improving both physically and mentally. I hope the best is yet to come," the top-ranked Indian told PTI. "To highlight one particular achievement from my career would not do justice to my other achievements. The Asian Games bronze (Jakarta 2018) and Commonwealth Games gold are two of the highs of my career," said the Sharath, who boasts of 13 C

Paris Olympics 2024: Sindhu to be flag bearer, Narang to be Chef de Mission

London Olympics bronze medallist shooter Gagan Narang on Monday replaced Mary Kom as India's Chef-de-Mission for the Paris Olympics where ace shuttler PV Sindhu will be the female flag bearer during the opening ceremony. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha said the 41-year-old Narang's elevation from deputy CDM's position was an automatic choice in the wake of Mary Kom's resignation. "I was looking for an Olympic medallist to lead our contingent and my young colleague is an apt replacement for Mary Kom," PT Usha said in a press release. PTI had earlier reported that Narang was in race to become the CDM of the Indian contingent. Six-time world champion Mary Kom had resigned from the position in April, saying she was left with no choice but to step down owing to compelling personal reasons. She was named CDM by the IOA in March this year. Chef-de-Mission is an important administrative post as he is responsible for ensuring the welfare of the participating athlete

Paris Olympics 2024: All about tickets, stays, ways to get around Paris

Paris Olympics 2024 is set to be held from July 26 to August 11, 2024. Check details about tickets, stays get around and other things

Paris 2024: Afghan sprinter Kimia Yousofi ready to run at her 3rd Olympics

Afghan sprinter Kimia Yousofi is preparing to compete at her third Olympics after being selected for the Paris Games from her training base in Australia. Yousofi, Afghanistan's flag bearer at the opening ceremony for the Olympics in Tokyo, has been living in Australia since 2022. The Australian Olympic Committee on Tuesday congratulated Yousofi on her selection for the women's 100-meter sprint. It's an honor to represent the girls of my homeland once again, she said in a statement released by the Australian committee. Girls and women who have been deprived of basic rights, including education, which is the most important one. I represent the stolen dreams and aspirations of these women. Those who don't have the authority to make decisions as free human beings they don't even have the permission to enter a park. She said she's deeply grateful to all those who have stood by me on this journey and made this possible ... who helped us for every step, for coming to Australia and joini

2024 Olympics Swimming: France's Lon Marchand may emerge champion

Most of the big stars from the last Olympics will be back at the pool in Paris. Caeleb Dressel. Katie Ledecky. Ariarne Titmus. Emma McKeon. But the local favorite might just shine brightest of them all. France's Lon Marchand has drawn comparisons to the great Michael Phelps, a link that was only strengthened by Phelps' longtime coach, Bob Bowman, overseeing the 22-year-old's rise to prominence. At last summer's world championships in Fukuoka, Marchand broke Phelps' 15-year-old world record in the 400-meter individual medley, to go along with victories in the 200 IM and 200 butterfly two more of Phelps' signature events. Leon has several things that make him a great, Bowman said. He has speed and he has endurance. So he kind of has the whole package that you want, and so far he's done well under pressure, which is the other piece of that equation. He has it all really. Marchand will also have the home-pool advantage in Paris, where the swimming will be contested in a temporary ..

All Olympics-bound athletes, including Neeraj Chopra, fit: IOA CMO

Renowned sports medicine expert Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala on Sunday said that all the Indian athletes participating in the Paris Olympics, including ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, were "fit enough" to perform on the big stage when the quadrennial showpiece gets underway on July 26. Pardiwala, the chief medical officer (CMO) of the nearly 120-strong Indian contingent for the Paris Games, added that his 13-member team will render the best possible medical assistance to the contingent in the areas of injury management, sports nutrition, mental conditioning, sports massage, recovery and sleep. "All the athletes that are going for the Olympics are fit right now. Some athletes will have minor niggles here and there. I am not going to be discussing any specific injuries to any athlete that they've had in the past, but all of them who are there are there because they are going to be capable and they're gonna be fit enough to perform," he said. Pardiwala has treated some of the top athletes,

Hosting the Olympics: A Billion-Dollar Gamble– Is It Worth It?

Do you know the budget of hosting the Olympic Games? Reports suggest cost overruns are pretty common with most host cities.

'Stay calm, sleep well': PM Narendra Modi to Paris-bound athletes

Neeraj Chopra shared his fitness concerns, P V Sindhu talked about the significance of self-belief and Nikhat Zareen could barely hide her excitement about being a first-time Olympian during a light-hearted interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who advised the Paris-bound group to stay calm and sleep well for best results. The interaction, held on Thursday, also featured the men's hockey team and the 21-strong shooting contingent in person, while some others, including Chopra, Sindhu and Zareen, joined online from their respective training bases abroad. Chopra, who has been troubled by an adductor niggle for the past couple of months, said he wants to reach Paris "fully fit" to defend his Olympic gold in javelin throw. "We are now training in Germany and it is going very well. This time I am playing in less competitions because on and off I am suffering from an injury. But now it is a lot better, a few days back I played a competition in Finland and that was pretty good," .

Keep your faith in us, we will not disappoint: Hockey skipper Harmanpreet

Skipper Harmanpreet Singh understands that Indian men's hockey team will enter the Paris Games with huge expectations and promised to return from the French Capital with grand success which they would celebrate with passionate fans, just like the triumphant cricket team. Eight-time champions India had ended their 41-year-old medal drought in Tokyo by winning a bronze medal. "When we won a medal in Tokyo, it was like a tonic for hockey in India. This time our responsibility has increased and everyone knows how much love and respect we have received after that medal," Harmanpreet told PTI Bhasha. "I will only say that you (countrymen) have been with us since the first day and we have also tried to give our best. This time too, we will give our 100 per cent from first to last match. Keep your faith in us, we will not disappoint you." Just like any other Indian, Harmanpreet was brimming with pride after India ended their 17-year-old wait for another T20 World Cup title. The Indian cri

Roadmap for 2036: PM seeks athletes' inputs on conduct of Paris Olympics

Confident that India's bid to host the 2036 Olympics will be successful, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged athletes bound for this month's Paris Games to share their views on the arrangements in the French capital to help the country's ambitious push to bring the showpiece here. In an interaction with Paris-bound athletes, conducted both in person and online on Thursday, Modi said those travelling to the French capital would do the country a huge service by providing inputs from their experience. "We are hoping to host the Olympics in 2036, it will help in creating a sporting atmosphere. Work is in progress to prepare infrastructure for it," he said in the interaction, which was attended by the national men's hockey team, the shooting contingent, boxers and track-and-field stars such as Neeraj Chopra. The interaction's complete video was shared by Prime Minister's Office on Friday. "I won't ask you to do anything in the middle of your events but when you are free, I would urge

India's UPI goes live at Galeries Lafayette, eyes Paris Olympics boost

Ambassador of India to France and Principality of Monaco Jawed Ashraf launched UPI by live use

High costs, safety worries hurt Paris Olympics turnout; hotel bookings drop

Flight bookings to the French capital - an indicator of tourist activity - are expected to increase by 10 per cent year-on-year from June 6 onwards

Wrestler Bajrang Punia calls Nada arrogant, says he is being targeted

Wrestler Bajrang Punia on Monday alleged that NADA was targeting him for pointing out flaws in their system and vowed to challenge the arrogance of the National Anti-Doping Agency, which he claimed wants to end his sporting career. Bajrang was suspended by NADA for the second time on June 24 after the wrestler got relief from the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) of the agency. The ADDP had lifted the first suspension on the grounds that NADA had not officially charged him for doping by serving the wrestler a formal notice. NADA then issued the notice to the Tokyo Games medallist and suspended him again. "This shows how NADA is targeting me, they don't want me to continue wrestling at any cost," Bajrang posted on X. Bajrang was suspended for refusing to provide his sample during the selection trials held in Sonepat on March 10. He had lost the trials and thus missed out on the chance to qualify for the Paris Olympics. The 30-year-old multiple-time World Championship medallist

Simone Biles to return to Olympics. All details of US Gymnastics team

Simone Biles is eager for a chance to put the Tokyo Olympics firmly in her rearview mirror. Three years after she memorably pulled out of multiple finals to protect her mental health and safety a decision that came with a backlash that still litters her social media feed Biles headlines a U.S. women's gymnastics team filled with familiar faces eyeing a shot at redemption in Paris. Biles will be joined by reigning Olympic champion Sunisa Lee, 2020 floor exercise champion gold medalist Jade Carey, 2020 Olympic silver medalist Jordan Chiles and 16-year-old newcomer Hezly Rivera, who will find herself competing next to a couple of her idols as the Americans try to reclaim the spot atop the Olympic podium they ceded to Russia in Japan. Meet the oldest women's gymnastics team the U.S. has ever taken to the Games. Simone Biles returns for a third shot at Olympic glory: The 27-year-old Biles has long been in a class of her own. She will arrive in Paris as the most decorated women's gymna

Paris Olympics likely to impact Air France KLM ticket sales this summer

France will host the Olympic Games from July 26 to Aug. 11, which has caused some people to rethink their travel plans, the company said in a statement

Rajpal, Narang in race to replace Mary Kom as India's CDM in Paris Olympics

Olympic medallist shooter Gagan Narang and Davis Cup captain Rohit Rajpal have emerged as strong contenders to become Indian contingent's chef de mission in Paris Games, a position which fell vacant after MC Mary Kom withdrew due to personal reasons, IOA sources told PTI on Sunday. Six-time world champion Mary Kom had resigned from the position in April, saying she was left with no choice but to step down owing to compelling person reasons. She was named CDM by the Indian Olympic Association in March this year. "Most likely it will be Gagan or Rohit for the role of chef de mission. It's a huge responsibility and they are capable of managing it. Having said that, weightlifting federation's Sahdev Yadav's name was also being considered," an IOA source told PTI on the sidelines of the send-off ceremony for India's Olympic contingent here. It has been learnt that badminton legend Prakash Padukone was also offered the position but the former All England Champion refused to take up the ..