Page 7 - Olympics

I'll meet hockey team to chalk out future plans: Sports minister Mandaviya

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday informed that he will hold a meeting with the bronze medal winning Indian men's hockey team before September 10 to chalk out future plans in its endeavour to clinch the gold medal in 2028 Los Angeles Games. Mandaviya on Tuesday felicitated star custodian PR Sreejesh, defender Sanjay, Amit Rohidas and striker Abhishek after their return from Paris on Tuesday morning. "It's been a wonderful performance from you guys, we didn't get the gold but we came very close to it and the way you guys inspired after the semifinal loss is commendable," Mandaviya said. "But it's not the end of the road and I will sit with you by September 10 and churn out future course of action so that we should return with nothing less than gold from Los Angeles. I will seek your opinion how to go about it and try to provide you all possible support from the government." The minister also said he was satisfied with the performance of the Indian contingent even though t

Arshad Nadeem gets 10 million rupees and car in reward by Pakistan's govt

Olympic javelin throw champion Arshad Nadeem was on Tuesday rewarded with 10 million rupees and a brand new car by the Punjab government for his historic gold medal-winning feat in the just-concluded Paris Games. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz handed Nadeem the cash prize and the car keys when she visited Nadeem's village in Mian Chunnu to meet him and his family. Arshad deserves everything he gets because he has brought so much joy and pride to the nation, she said. Flanked by Nadeem's parents, the CM handed the keys of the new car to the athlete with a special number plate of 92.97 which is the distance he threw to set a new Olympic record while winning gold in Paris on August 8. The deputy commissioner, who accompanied Maryam Nawaz, said that the cheque and car were all prepared in record time on the instructions of the CM who wanted to meet Nadeem. She gave orders for the special number plate as well, he said. The CM also gave away a cheque of 50 lakh rupees to Nadeem's c

We didn't even get desired coach for Olympics: Indian shuttler Ashwini

Indian doubles badminton specialist Ashwini Ponnappa on Tuesday said she received little to no individual financial assistance from the sports ministry in the build up to Paris Olympics and even her request for a coach was turned down ahead of the just-concluded Games. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) had come out with a document, detailing the financial support provided to the Paris-bound Indian athletes. It mentions that Ashwini was provided Rs 4,50,000 under TOPS and Rs 1,48,04,080 under Annual calender for Training and Competition (ACTC), which included the procurement of Game Ready recovery equipment, international competitions and sparring partner in the Tokyo cycle. "I'm absolutely shocked.. I don't mind not getting money but telling the nation that I got money is ridiculous. I haven't received it. Like if you're talking about national camp, then that 1.5 Crore is spent on all the campers," Ashwini told PTI. "I don't have a specific coach. As for my personalised trainer,

Manu Bhaker to take long break, may skip New Delhi World Cup in October

Paris Olympic double medallist Manu Bhaker may skip October's World Cup here as the ace pistol shooter has decided to take a three-month break, her coach Jaspal Rana said. The 22-year-old Bhaker scripted Olympic history for India in Paris as she won a bronze each in the women's 10m air pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team event, in which she had paired with Sarabjot Singh. After the feat, the ace pistol shooter, who returned from Paris in the wee hours on Tuesday, is set to take a three-month break from the sport. "I am not sure whether she will be at the Shooting World Cup in October because she is taking a three-month break. "It's a normal break, she has been training for a long time." Rana told PTI Videos. The shooting World Cup is scheduled to take place in New Delhi from October 13 to 18. Rana, who played a pivotal role in Bhaker's twin bronze medals after the agony of returning empty-handed from Tokyo Games three years back, said they will work to peak at the 2026 Asian Gam

Shooter Manu Bhaker aims multiple medals in upcoming Summer Olympics

Ace Indian pistol shooter Manu Bhaker has set her sights on winning multiple medals at the Olympics in the future following her historic feat at the Paris Games. The 22-year-old scripted history to become the first Indian athlete in post-independence era to win two Olympic medals in a single edition of the Games. Bhaker won a bronze each in the women's 10m air pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team event -- where she had paired with Sarabjot Singh. She also came close to winning a third bronze in 25m pistol before finishing a creditable fourth in Paris. No Indian athlete has won more than two individual medals at the Olympics. "I think we all work hard to win medals. But if that happens (winning more than 2 individual medals at Olympics) then that would be great. The aim is to work hard and better this performance in the future," Bhaker told PTI Videos. "(I am) aiming to win many more Olympic medals for India," added Bhaker, who returned to the country after participating in the clo

CAS will not reconsider their verdict on the bronze medal: Jordan Chiles

USA Gymnastics officials say an arbitration panel won't reconsider a decision asking gymnast Jordan Chiles to return the bronze medal she was awarded in the floor exercise at the Paris Olympics. USA Gymnastics says it will continue efforts to let Chiles keep the medal. USA Gymnastics was notified by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday that their rules do not allow for an arbitral award to be reconsidered even when conclusive new evidence is presented, USA Gymnastics said in a statement. We are deeply disappointed by the notification and will continue to pursue every possible avenue and appeal process, including to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, to ensure the just scoring, placement, and medal award for Jordan. CAS voided an on-floor appeal from Chiles' coach that vaulted her to third, saying the appeal came 4 seconds beyond the one-minute time limit for scoring inquiries. USA Gymnastics disputed the timing, saying Sunday that the agency submitted video evidence to CAS t

Shooters had scope for more but can be proud of Olympic campaign: Bindra

Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra believes there was a scope of "more conversions" for Indian shooters at the Paris Games but overall it was a campaign which they should be proud of. India clinched six medals overall with three in shooting as Manu Bhaker became the first ever athlete from the country post Independence to earn two podium finishes in a single edition of Olympics. Alongside winning a bronze medal in women's 10m air pistol, Manu grabbed another bronze in mixed 10m air pistol shooting with Sarabjot Singh as her teammate. India got another bronze when Swapnil Kusale finished third in the final of the 50m rifle 3 positions event in Paris. "There have been misses, but everyone has fought well," Bindra told Jio Cinema. "Outcomes are important, but more than that, it's about seeing how you've improved as a nation in terms of performance. If you look at those elements, we've performed better than before. We'd like to see more conversions to medals, but we have a lot to b

I'm taking a short break to get physically and emotionally fit: Anshu Malik

Indian wrestler Anshu Malik on Monday said she is taking a short break from the sport to "get physically and emotionally fit" after her pre-quarterfinal exit at the Paris Olympics but at the same time vowed to make a strong comeback. Anshu, 23, showed great determination but could not breach the defence of USA's vastly experienced Helen Louise Maroulis, losing 2-7 in the 57kg pre-quarterfinals. She was competing in her second Olympic Games. "It's hard to accept, but this is a game and winning and losing is part of it. It doesn't matter what the result is, I LOVE WRESTLING," Anshu wrote on Instagram. "Now, this will be a new beginning for LA 2028. I know I'm a FIGHTER and will come back stronger than ever. "But right now, I am taking a short break to get physically and emotionally fit. In the meantime, I'll see where I need to make changes," she added. Anshu secured a Paris Games quota from the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in April this year. Two months later, she won a silver medal a

Five-time Olympic medalist Tom Daley announces retirement from diving

Five-time Olympic medalist Tom Daley announced his retirement from diving on Monday. Daley told British Vogue magazine he had decided to call time on his career. The 30-year-old British diver competed at five Games, making his debut at Beijing 2008 and winning gold and bronze in Tokyo, silver in Paris and bronzes at London 2012 and Rio 2016. Daley, who claimed his fifth Olympic medal in the 10m synchronised event in Paris last month, said in the interview: It feels very, very surreal. I felt so incredibly nervous going into this, knowing it was my last Olympics. There was a lot of pressure and expectations. I was eager for it to be done. But when I walked out and saw my husband (Lance) and kids (Robbie and Phoenix) and my friends and family in the audience, I was like, you know what? This is exactly why I did this. It was emotional at the end, up there on the platform, knowing it was going to be my last competitive dive. But I have to make the decision at some point, and it feels

Indian boxing contingent disappoints despite high hopes at Paris Olympics

The Indian boxing contingent, that featured two reigning world champions in Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain, entered the Olympics hoping for an unprecedented medal haul, only to crumble under pressure, leaving behind a trail of disappointment in a medal-less campaign. Boxing became a medal hope for India after Vijender Singh's historic bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games. MC Mary Kom added a women's bronze to it in 2012. Although the 2016 Rio Games saw the boxers return without a medal, Borgohain clinched a bronze at the Tokyo Olympics to revitalise the sport. Expectations were high from Paris and observers of the game felt at least one, if not two medals, could be expected from the six boxers who qualified. Two-time world champion Zareen (50kg), Borgohan (75kg), and 2023 world championship bronze-medallist Nishant Dev (71kg) were all seen as strong podium contenders. Poor show ======= But when it came to actual competition, the Indians never seemed to have the momentum needed

US Olympic champion Noah Lyles feared bronchitis after positive Covid test

Asthma didn't stop Noah Lyles from taking on the 200 meter at the Paris Olympics, even after testing positive for COVID-19. Despite fears of bronchitis and conflicting reports about his fever, Lyles won a bronze medal just two days after his positive test. He was concerned more about the virus' severe symptoms than his temperature, which his coach Lance Brauman claimed rose to 102 degrees. Anytime I've had COVID, it's never been about the temperatures. It's always been about the body aches, the chills, the headaches and the cold, Lyles told The Associated Press on Sunday. He spoke during an interview about his new Visa campaign involving his mother, Keisha Caine Bishop, who narrated a 30-second reel with her son. Lyles said his temperature reached no higher than 99 degrees. The only reason he would have pulled out is if the symptoms of bronchitis had become worse. Then asthma joining in on that and making it even worst, that was our worst fear, he said. We were back in the medical

From Paris to Los Angeles: How the city is preparing for the 2028 Olympics

It's Los Angeles' turn for the torch. Mayor Karen Bass accepted the Olympic flag at the Paris closing ceremony Sunday, before handing it off to a key representative of LA's local business Tom Cruise who in a pre-recorded trek via motorcycle, plane and parachute kicked off the countdown to 2028. The city will become the third in the world to host the games three times as it adds to the storied years of 1932 and 1984. Here's a look forward and back in time at the Olympics in LA. LA's Olympic trilogy Los Angeles got the 2028 games as a consolation prize when Paris was picked for 2024. Back in 1932, LA hosted its first Olympics. The city was the only bidder for the games at a time marred by the Great Depression and the absence of several nations. Yet memorable sport moments came from athletes including American athlete Babe Didrikson Zaharias, who won golds in the new women's events of javelin and hurdles. Financial and cultural success gave 1984 a reputation as the good Olympics" w

Woman grabs, kisses Tom Cruise on Olympics final night, controversy erupts

A video went viral on social media where a woman was seen grabbing and kissing Tom Cruise; the incident has sparked controversy on the internet

France's beautiful dream fades as Paris Games give way to political crisis

Talks over government jobs and budget cuts loom, with voter anger sure to follow

Vinesh & her team responsible for weight cut, not IOA medical team: PT Usha

Drawing criticism for Vinesh Phogat's weigh-in fiasco, Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha on Sunday made it clear that it is the responsibility of the athlete to manage their weight and the attack on its medical team, especially Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala is "unacceptable and worthy of condemnation." The 29-year-old Vinesh was left heartbroken after she was disqualified ahead of her gold-medal bout in freestyle 50kg for being 100gm overweight in the morning weigh-in, crushing her Olympic dreams and prompting her to announce her retirement. The incident started a blame game, also leading to an uproar in the Parliament, with some sections attacking Dr Pardiwala and his team for negligence with former IOA chief Narendra Batra indicating that Vinesh's diet might have had something to do with her disqualification. "...the responsibility of weight management of athletes in sport like wrestling, weightlifting, boxing and judo is that of each athlete and his or he

Olympics 2024: Paris, the city of love bids adieu, next stop Los Angeles

The gigantic Stade de France resembled a concert hall hosting a party to celebrate the fortnight of sporting excellence as a breathtaking closing ceremony -- that featured astonishing mid-air action -- drew curtains on the Olympic Games in the City of Love and passed on the baton to Los Angeles. The nearly four-hour-long innovative opening ceremony over River Seine had showcased the architectural wonders of the city and the country's rich heritage, and the closing ceremony was also enchanting, watched by close to 75,000 spectators. The two-hour-long show, created by Thomas Jolly, began with a musical performance as an ode to the Games' host city. French singer Zaho de Sagazan sang the famous 'Sous le ciel de Paris'. Meanwhile, coming from the iconic Louvre museum, a torchbearer seizes the lantern that contains the Olympic Flame and sets off to the Stade de France. PTI AT AM The closing ceremony celebrated the power of diversity and solidarity: just like the Olympics Games, which is

US ties China in Olympics gold medal count after women's hoops win

The U.S. women's basketball team held off France on Sunday to win gold in the final event of the Paris Olympics, and that hardware was needed for the Americans to tie China for the most with 40. The U.S. easily won the total medal count with 126. Aside from the 40 gold, the Americans won 42 silver and 44 bronze. The U.S. lost a bronze medal Sunday when the International Olympic Committee said it was reallocating the bronze given to Jordan Chiles in the women's floor final to Romanian Ana Barbosu. U.S. Olympic officials are appealing. China came in second in the total medal race with 91. China won 40 gold, 27 silver and 24 bronze. Japan was a distant third with 20 gold medals, 45 overall. Great Britain won 65 medals, but only 14 were gold for an overall ranking of seventh. The medal rankings are done by gold, and the last time the U.S. didn't top the standings was at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, when the Americans finished second to China, 48-36. The U.S. has won the most overall

Olympics 2024: Cities and countries makes subtle case to host 2036 Olympics

If historic river settings are the new must-have accessory for Olympic host cities, then Istanbul's mayor wants the IOC to know his city has one. If the key to getting the 2036 Summer Games is having hosted world championships in top-tier Olympic sports, then Qatar can point to its track record over the past decade. If winning over the International Olympic Committee is about ambition, finance and relationship-building, then India's project backed by the Ambani family and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is well placed. Saudi Arabia is following a similar path and in Paris sealed an Esports Olympic Games hosting deal with the IOC for 12 years, beyond the next Summer Games that is available to be awarded. If the 2036 Olympics must go to Asia a logical option to follow Paris, Los Angeles in 2028 and Brisbane in 2032 then Indonesia will push its case as a fast-emerging economy of 280 million people. In Paris, interested parties discreetly made their case for hosting the Olympics in a .

Olympics: Pak javelin thrower Nadeem's father-in-law to gift him a buffalo

Pakistan might be showering its Olympic gold medallist, Arshad Nadeem with cash awards and other valuable prizes but his father-in-law has decided to gift the burly javelin thrower a buffalo as it goes well with the rural upbringing and tradition. Muhammad Nawaz told the local media in Nadeem's village on Sunday that gifting a buffalo is considered "very valuable" and "honourable" in their village. Nadeem won the javelin throw event in Paris with an Olympic Games record of 92.97 metres, pushing India's Neeraj Chopra to second spot. "Nadeem also takes great pride in his roots and despite the success, his home still remains his village and he still lives with his parents and brothers," said Nawaz. The father-in-law added that he had four sons and three daughters, and his youngest daughter, Ayesha, was married to Nadeem. Nawaz also disclosed that the couple has two sons and a daughter. Hailing from the rural area of Khanewal in Punjab, Nadeem had very limited means to train and trav

Extraordinary Paris Olympics 2024 draws to a close with spectacular show

The gigantic Stade de France resembled a concert hall hosting a party to celebrate the fortnight of sporting excellence as a breathtaking closing ceremony brought the curtains down on the Paris Olympics with a spectacular show, passing on the baton to Los Angeles for the next edition. While the nearly four-hour-long innovative opening ceremony held on the River Seine had showcased the architectural wonders of the city and the country's rich heritage, the closing ceremony was equally enchanting in the way it ebbed and flowed with the mood of the evening, with a fair sprinkling of Hollywood, including mega star Tom Cruise, adding to the vibrancy. International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said: "These were sensational Olympic Games from start to finish. The Games showed us what greatness we humans are capable of. You embraced each other, you respect each other even if your countries were divided by war and conflict. Thanking you for making believe in a better world for