Page 33 - Olympics

Olympics 2024: Uncertainty stares Russian athletes despite qualifying

With 100 days to go until the Paris Olympics, it's still not clear whether any athletes from Russia who are expected to qualify will actually go. The question is whether Moscow will accept the conditions that the International Olympic Committee set for Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. Ultimately, it could be up to individual athletes to decide whether to participate. The IOC expects that 36 Russian athletes and possibly as many as 54 will do well enough at qualifying events to compete in Paris. The IOC will let them compete as neutral athletes, meaning they can't use their country's flag or anthem or participate in team sports such as soccer and basketball. Athletes with links to the military or who have expressed support for the war will be banned. The same restrictions apply to Russian ally Belarus. Athletes from Russia and Belarus also aren't allowed to take part in the opening ceremony on July 26. Russian President Vladimir Putin has questioned the rules and as

Paris 2024: Things to know about the flame-lighting ceremony in Greece

A priestess prays to a dead sun god in front of a fallen Greek temple. If the sky is clear, a flame spurts that will burn in Paris throughout the world's top sporting event. Speeches ensue. On Tuesday, the flame for this summer's Paris Olympics will be lit at the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games in southern Greece in a meticulously choreographed ceremony. It will then be carried through Greece for more than 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) before being handed over to French organizers at the Athens venue used for the first modern Olympics in 1896. Here's a look at the workings and meaning of the elaborate ceremony held among the ruins of Ancient Olympia ahead of each modern Olympiad. COULDN'T THE FRENCH JUST LIGHT IT IN PARIS? Couldn't the Academy Awards just be announced in a conference call? The pageantry at Olympia has been an essential part of every Olympics for nearly 90 years since the Games in Berlin. It's meant to provide an ineluctable link between the modern event a

Paris Olympics 2024: Injuries are mentally challenging - Mirabai Chanu

She heaved her lowest weight in years at the World Cup recently but Olympic silver-medallist Mirabai Chanu is actually quite chuffed about her performance as she managed it on the back of just one month's training after enduring a challenging injury breakdown. With only four months to go for the Paris Olympics, Chanu, who was competing in her first tournament since her Asian Games breakdown, finished 12th at the IWF World Cup with a total effort of 184kg (81kg+103kg), a whopping 33kg behind China's Hou Zhihui, who will look to defend her Olympic title. "I was delighted to be back in competition. Everything is okay now, recovery is good. I'm training at 70 per cent," Chanu told PTI. After watching her opponents raise the bar by breaking records in the 49kg weight class, Chanu's confidence received a significant boost when she heaved the barbell after just a month of training. "It felt very good. After the injury (at Asian Games), I lifted weights after 4-5 months and I got a lot of

Paris Olympics: 'It's Nikhat's time, Lovlina needs to be more proactive'

Former Indian men's boxing coach Blas Iglesias Fernandez has backed world champion Nikhat Zareen (50kg) to bag a medal at this year's Paris Olympics but feels that Tokyo Games bronze-medallist Lovlina Borgohain's (75kg) chances will boil down to her level of aggression in the ring. The 68-year-old Cuban, who served for over two decades as the men's coach and also became the first and only overseas Dronacharya awardee, has been appointed by the Sports Authority of India as High Performance Coach for a two-year period. Fernandez is stationed at the National Boxing Academy in Rohtak, Haryana. Speaking recently on the sidelines of the multi-nation camp for junior boxers at the National Centre of Excellence in Rohtak, Fernandez evaluated India's chances at the upcoming Summer Games. "I love the boxing (style) of Nikhat. She is very intelligent. She has good ring tactics. She knows when she is winning and when she is losing," Fernandez told SAI Media. "This is Nikhat's time to prove ...

Olympics 2024: Nikhat, Manika, Sreeshankar's abroad training plea cleared

Several top athletes, including the Olympic-bound trio of boxer Nikhat Zareen, long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, and table tennis player Manika Batra's request for financial assistance to train abroad was on Wednesday cleared by the Sports Ministry following a meeting here. Boxers Nikhat, Preeti Pawar, Parveen Hooda and Lovlina Borgohain will travel to Turkey for a foreign training camp along with their coaches and a physio, the ministry said in a statement. Wrestlers Sujeet (65kg), Deepak Punia (86kg) and Naveen (74kg) will head to Russia along with their sparring partners, a coach and physiotherapists to train ahead of the Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament later this month. All the assistance is being provided under the ministry's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). Shotgun shooter Bhowneesh Mendiratta's Mendiratta, who has secured a Paris quota place for the country, will travel to Italy to train with personal coach Daniele Di Spigno for the ISSF World Cup in Baku. Asian Ga

49-kg category: Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu qualifies for Paris Olympic 2024

Tokyo Olympics silver-medallist Mirabai Chanu all but qualified for the 2024 Paris Games after she finished third in the women's 49kg Group B event of the IWF World Cup here on Monday. Returning from a six-month injury lay off, Chanu lifted a total of 184kg (81kg+103kg) at the tournament, which is the final and a mandatory qualifier for the Paris Olympics. With the completion of her event, Chanu has fulfilled the criteria for the Paris Olympics, which is participating in two compulsory events and three other qualifiers. The 2017 world champion is currently ranked second in the women's 49kg Olympic Qualification Ranking (OQR) behind China's Jian HuiHua. The official announcement for the qualification will come after the conclusion of the World Cup when the OQR will be updated. The top 10 lifters from each weight class will qualify for the Paris Olympics. Chanu, who last competed at the Asian Games in September where she suffered a hip tendonitis injury, was not at her best, but was

Olympic officials, local organisers move to present games in positive light

After weeks of uncertainty about billion-dollar stadium projects for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, the IOC and local organizers moved Wednesday to present the games more positively. Plans for a $2 billion rebuild of the storied Gabba cricket stadium as an Olympics centerpiece were dropped this month after the expected price spiraled. Australia's most influential Olympic official, John Coates, had called the stadium issues in Brisbane's home state Queensland damaging to the Olympics brand. Queensland Premier Steven Miles, who faces state elections in October, had asked for a review of Olympic venue construction and prefers renovating an existing rugby stadium for the opening and closing ceremonies. Reports that Queensland had explored getting out of its commitment to host the Olympics was dismissed as fake news last week by International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach. It led to IOC and local organizing officials being asked Wednesday after their annual review of preparation

Next few years will be crucial, by 2036 we'll be at top: Anju Bobby George

Panel discusses challenges and road map ahead for India to become a global sporting powerhouse

India's solar waste could reach 600 kilotonnes by 2030, shows study

India's solar waste could reach a staggering 600 kilotonnes by 2030 equivalent to filling up 720 Olympic-size swimming pools according to a new study released on Wednesday. The study by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and independent think tank Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) said around 67 per cent of this waste will come from five states: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. India's current installed 66.7 GW capacity (as of FY23) has already generated about 100 kilotonnes of waste, which will increase to 340 kilotonnes by 2030. This will include about 10 kilotonnes of silicon, 12-18 tonnes of silver, and 16 tonnes of cadmium and tellurium the majority of which are critical minerals for India, the study titled "Enabling a Circular Economy in India's Solar Industry: Assessing the Solar Waste Quantum" said. Recycling solar waste to recover these materials will reduce import dependency and enhance India's mineral security. The stu

Brisbane Olympics organisers reject plan to demolish, build cricket stadium

Brisbane Olympics organizers have scrapped plans to demolish and rebuild an iconic cricket ground as the centerpiece of the 2032 Games while also rejecting a review panel's recommendation for a new stadium in city parklands. Queensland state's Premier Steven Miles instead announced Monday he'd prefer to upgrade an existing rugby stadium close to downtown Brisbane to host the opening and closing ceremonies. Miles called for an independent review of Olympic planning in January as backlash intensified against the tripling of the cost to redevelop the so-called Gabba stadium. Brisbane's former mayor Graham Quirk led a 60-day review which handed its findings to the Miles' state government on Monday, two days after council elections across the state. The review delivered 30 recommendations, the central feature being construction of a new 55,000-seat stadium at Victoria Park at a cost of 3.4 billion Australian dollars ($2.23 billion) instead of redeveloping the Gabba. I know that I said

YES Bank partners with Indian Olympic Association for Paris Olympics 2024

The bank also unveiled the 'YES Glory' savings account proposition, extending benefits to athletes and their immediate family members

Boxer Nishant Dev one win away from securing Paris Olympics 2024 quota

World Championships medallist Nishant Dev moved within touching distance of a Paris Olympic quota after he registered a dominant victory over Christos Karaitis of Greece to enter the 71kg quarterfinals of the first World Olympic Boxing Qualifier here. The 23-year-old, who won the featherweight bronze at the World Championships last year, continued his rich vein of form, as he out-punched Karaitis by a 5-0 unanimous decision in the pre-quarterfinals late on Sunday. With the qualifying tournament offering four quota places in the men's 71kg weight class, Dev needs to win his quarterfinal on Monday to seal his passage for Paris Games and earn the fifth 2024 Olympic quota for India and the first in the men's category in boxing. However, Dev, who is vying to compete in his debut Olympic, will have his task cut out as he faces a tough opponent in 2021 World Championship silver medallist Omari Jones of the USA in the last eight round on Monday. The Haryana boxer is the only Indian boxer o

Bajrang Punia, Ravi Dahiya eliminated from Olympics qualification race

Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya -- both Tokyo Games medallists -- were on Sunday eliminated from the race for the Paris Olympics qualification after losing their respective bouts in the selection trials for the upcoming international tournaments. Punia, who was a prominent face of protest against former WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, suffered a crushing 1-9 defeat in the men's freestyle 65kg semifinal against to Rohit Kumar. This was after he barely managed to win against Ravinder (3-3 on criteria). If Ravinder had not conceded a caution point in the bout, Punia would have been eliminated in the opening bout itself. Punia left the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Centre here in a huff after being eliminated. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) officials tried to collect sample for dope test from Punia but he did not stay back even for third-fourth place bout. Punia had trained in Russia to prepare for the trials, which are being organised by the IOA ad-hoc panel. Punia

Paris Olympics opening ceremony to be held during sunset on July 26

The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics along the river Seine will be held during sunset, organizers said Friday. It's the first time an Olympic opening ceremony will be held outside a stadium setting, in line with the Paris organizers' motto: Games Wide Open. About 10,500 athletes will parade through the heart of the French capital on boats on the Seine along a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) route. Organizers said the open-air event will start on July 26 at 7:30 pm (Paris time). They said the ceremony will offer an unprecedented experience, using the natural light of the setting sun with all its nuances to illuminate the river promenade of all the world's best athletes along the Seine, in the heart of the capital. This week, the French government said tourists won't be given free access to watch the opening ceremony over security concerns. Free access will be invitation-only instead. Organizers had planned a grandiose opening ceremony on July 26 for as many as 6,00,000 people, most ..

Tourists not to have free access to Olympics opening ceremony in Paris

Tourists won't be allowed to watch the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics along the Seine River for free, the French government announced Tuesday, as it grapples with security concerns about the unprecedented open-air event. Free access will be invitation-only instead. Organizers had planned a grandiose opening ceremony July 26 for as many as 600,000 people, most watching free of charge from riverbanks. But security and logistical concerns and an outcry from booksellers along the city's picturesque quays have led the government to progressively scale back ambitions. Earlier this year, the overall number of spectators was reduced to around 300,000. On Tuesday, Interior Minister Grald Darmanin said that 104,000 of them will be paying ticket holders with spots along the lower riverbanks, with another 222,000 watching for free from the upper banks. But he said that the free tickets will not be available to the public via open registration as earlier envisaged, and will be ...

Olympics 2024: Parul among ones to watch out for - Anju Bobby George

Athletics Federation of India vice-president Anju Bobby George on Wednesday said Asian Games gold-winning steeplechase runner Parul Chaudhary is among the ones to watch out for at this year's Paris Olympics where she expecting more than one medal in javelin throw. So far, nine Indian track-and-field athletes have qualified for the Games in July-August with defending gold-medallist Neeraj Chopra and Kishore Jena making the cut in javelin throw. Chaudhary shot into limelight with a gold in the 5000m and a silver in 3000m steeplechase events of the Hangzhou Asian Games last year. The 28-year-old is the first Indian to clock less than nine minutes in the 3000m women's steeplechase. "A bunch of athletes are performing really well in the international arena from athletics. We are aiming for three (medals) in javelin," she told PTI Video on the sidelines of Bharat Sports Science Conclave in New Delhi on Wednesday. "Then we have long jumpers, we have triple jumpers, steeplechase runner Par

Summer Olympics 2024 security plans stolen from train station in Paris

The Paris 2024 Olympics will deploy approximately 35,000 security personnel daily, alongside 2,000 municipal police officers assigned to the games scheduled from July 26 to August 11

It makes sense for IOC to give 2036 Olympics to India, says Anurag Thakur

Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said on Sunday "it makes more sense for the IOC" to give India the hosting rights for the 2036 Olympic Games as the country is growing by leaps and bounds in every sphere including sports. Thakur, while speaking at the News9 Global Summit, said India's recent performance at mega international events, such as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, gives him hope that the country could become a top-10 sporting nation by 2036 and be in the top-5 by 2047. "We had the largest population to see the Olympic sports last time (in 2020 Tokyo) and this time, it makes more sense for the IOC to give 2036 Olympics to none other than Bharat, our India," said Thakur. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already expressed the country's desire to host the Olympics in 2036 during the IOC session in Mumbai last year, and when asked if India was ready to hold the mega event and which city could play host, Thakur said, "PM Modi made it very clear during the I

Eiffel Tower working staff goes on strike ahead of Summer Olympics

Eiffel tower working staff has gone on strike due to salary and maintenance issues. The Eiffel tower website advised visitors to check website before heading to the landmark

We can expect a Paris medal from Treesa-Gayatri if they qualify: Vimal

Former India coach Vimal Kumar is mighty impressed with doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand and feels the young Indian combination will be a definite contender for an Olympic medal if they qualify for the Paris Games. The pairing of the two 20-year-olds played a vital role as India scripted wins over badminton powerhouses like China, Japan and Thailand on successive days en route a first-ever gold medal at the Badminton Asia Team Championships (BATC) here on Sunday. Treesa and Gayatri stunned world No. 6 Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida from Japan and world No. 10 Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Pra Jongjai of Thailand in the semifinal and final respectively. The duo also beat China's world No. 22 Luo Xu Min and Li Yi Jing in the league stage. "I give a lot of credit to Treesa and Gayatri for the way they have performed this week. They have done incredibly well. They have a great chance of a medal, if they qualify for the Olympics. We can definitely expect a meda