Page 4 - Sports News

Gavit sets sights on Asian Para Games double after Commonwealth triumph

Buoyed by his breakthrough gold at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, India's top para sprinter Dilip Gavit is aiming for a grand double at next month's Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The Nashik-based right-arm amputee made history on his Commonwealth Games debut, blazing to gold in the men's 100m T47 final in a Games-record 10.71 seconds. His victory made him the first Indian male para-athlete to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal. But Gavit is not resting on that landmark achievement. The 23-year-old, who also won 400m gold at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, has set his sights on two gold medals in Aichi-Nagoya in October. He believes his strength in the 400m -- his primary event -- will give him the edge in the 100m as well, particularly when it comes to maintaining speed through the race. "I will keep focusing on the 400m because it prepares you for how you run the first 100m. I also focus more on the 400m because this is my primary race and I have been

There's no added pressure: Satwik-Chirag ready to defend Asian Games gold

Satwik felt the China Masters win came at the perfect time after a difficult period away from competitive badminton

Empty seats, tired stars: The US Open's post-2 am finishes spark a pushback

Alexander Zverev wasn't in the mood for much conversation. With empty seats everywhere after he finished his US Open first-round match in the early morning hours, he took two questions from reporters on the court and quickly wrapped it up. "I think everybody's tired," he said. "Everybody wants to go to sleep." The city that never sleeps is going a little overboard this year. Players have long loved the electricity of night matches at the US Open, where tennis under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium is a hallmark of the American Grand Slam tournament, with fans staying late and bringing plenty of energy. But with the tournament this year already setting a record with three post-2 a.m. finishes over the first six days, plus two more going past 1 am, concerns are bubbling up about how much after midnight is too much on such a big stage. "I know they're dealing with a lot of different aspects as far as broadcast and TV and making sure certain matches get done and are starting at a ce

India vs Japan match key step in cricket's global push: BCCI's Saikia

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia on Monday said the historic one-off T20 International between India and Japan this month will be a significant moment in cricket's journey to become a global sport by connecting to a new audience. India and Japan are set to lock horns for the first time in a historic T20I in Japan on September 22, ahead of the men's cricket competition at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. The Games will start on September 19. The match will be played at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture. Played under the banner of the Suzuki Cup, it will commemorate the 75th anniversary of IndiaJapan diplomatic relations. Saikia said the match is an effort of ICC chairman Jay Shah to take cricket to newer territories. "Cricket's global journey is being shaped by moments that take the game beyond its traditional boundaries. The IndiaJapan T20I match on 22nd September,'26 is one such moment taking international cricket to Japan, connecting with a new audience and

Infantino to seek FIFA re-election despite failed World Cup sell-off

FIFA President Gianni Infantino will stand for re-election despite growing calls for him to step down from his position as the head of world soccer's governing body. Infantino has faced increasing pressure after his controversial plan to sell stakes in the World Cup was met with a furious backlash. But FIFA said on Sunday that he plans to stand again in next year's elections for a final term in office through 2031. "The FIFA President announced in April that he will stand for re-election in 2027. Of course, nothing has changed. Mr Infantino will be standing for re-election," a FIFA spokesperson said. November 18 is the deadline for candidates to enter the next presidential contest, exactly four months ahead of the vote. UEFA, European soccer's governing body, has led the calls for Infantino to go, saying it had lost confidence in him and previously threatened to boycott FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup. A number of national associations, such the English FA, have withdraw

Shooting at Asian Games: Suruchi Singh's rise from Bhiwani to world record

At just 20, Suruchi has put together an impressive resume, with a junior world record, an ISSF World Cup Final title and multiple World Cup gold medals to her name

India return to AFC U20 Asian Cup after 20 years with 3-0 win vs BAN

India qualified for the AFC U20 Asian Cup main tournament for the first time in 20 years after a commanding 3-0 win over Bangladesh in their final group match of the qualifying event here on Sunday. The win, their second in the qualifiers, took India to six points from three matches. They had to wait for the result of Syria vs Uzbekistan match played later on Sunday to know their fate. With Syria losing 0-3 to Uzbekistan, India finished second in Group B and qualified for the AFC U20 Asian Cup main tournament after 20 years as one of the seven best runners-up teams across the eight groups. India last played in the AFC U20 Asian Cup main tournament in 2006. Uzbekistan also qualified as group toppers with nine points. Syria finished third with three points, and bottom-placed Bangladesh were relegated to the Development Phase after losing all three games. The main tournament will be held in China from March 24 to April 10, 2027. Danny Meitei Laishram opened the scoring in the 25th min

US Open 2026: Defending champions Sabalenka, Alcaraz reach quarterfinals

Defending champions Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz are back to the quarterfinals at the US Open, and they made it look easy. The top-ranked Sabalenka solved some early struggles holding serve and overpowered Taylor Townsend 6-4 6-3 on Sunday. Alcaraz also advanced in straight sets, beating Tommy Paul 6-4 6-3 6-4 in the second match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. "I'm happy with that performance," Alcaraz said. "I played my game. I tried to play my style. Tommy's such a talented player. His shots are pretty dangerous and it's sometimes pretty difficult to control the ball when it comes to you, so I just tried to be ready." Townsend broke Sabalenka three times in her first four service games as she looked to spring the upset. Sabalenka found a groove, regained her confidence and did not lose another point after falling behind 3-1 in the second set. "I love matches like that because it was really challenging," Sabalenka said. "Going through tough challenges and overcoming those challen

Rankings don't matter, says Brazil legend Cafu ahead of IND vs BRA friendly

Brazil are currently ranked fifth in the world, while India are 138th, making the Kolkata fixture the highest-ranked opposition the Indian team has faced since the FIFA World Rankings were introduced

Here's why AIFF has preponed India vs Panama football match in Bengaluru

The match was originally scheduled for September 26, as part of India's three-match friendly series against South American teams, including Brazil and Uruguay

Nick Kyrgios accepts one-month suspension following positive cocaine test

Nick Kyrgios accepted a one-month suspension from the International Tennis Integrity Association for testing positive for cocaine at a tournament in Spain in June, the organization announced Thursday. The 31-year-old from Australia had been provisionally suspended since Aug. 4, which was revealed just over two weeks later. The ITIA in its announcement said Kyrgios told investigators that he socially used cocaine during a night out before he was due to play in Mallorca, and after consulting with an expert from the World Anti-Doping Association, accepted that it was outside of competition. WADA's default three-month ban can be reduced to one by completing a treatment program. The ITIA said Kyrgios' suspension is over Thursday pending the completing of that program. Kyrgios' prize money and rankings points from the Mallorca event are forfeited. He lost his only match to countryman Adam Walton. A finalist at Wimbledon in 2022 when he lost to Novak Djokovic, Kyrgios has played only fou

Gukesh clash on horizon, Sindarov to begin preparations after Olympiad

Javokhir Sindarov knows the ultimate challenge awaits him later this year when he takes on defending champion D Gukesh for the world crown, but the Uzbek chess prodigy says his preparations for the showdown will begin only after this month's Chess Olympiad. Sindarov will face Gukesh in a battle for the world crown between two 20-year-olds in Geneva over 14 classical games from November 24 to December 12. However, the Uzbek is currently keeping his focus firmly on the tournaments immediately ahead, rather than allowing the much-anticipated title clash to dominate his thoughts. "Right now, I'm focusing on my next events -- the Global Chess League and the Olympiad. After those, I will start preparing for the World Championship match," Sindarov, who will represent Fyers American Gambits in the fourth edition of GCL, said during a media interaction here. The GCL will be held here from September 5 to 13, followed by the Olympiad from September 15 to 27 in Samarkand. Sindarov earned his

Asiad-bound shooters gear up with final preparatory camps in Delhi, Bhopal

The Asian Games-bound Indian shooters will undergo preparatory camps at facilities in Delhi and Bhopal this month as they look to fine-tune their skills for peak performance at the quadrennial showpiece beginning September 19 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The camps have been divided between the MP State Shooting Academy in Bhopal and the Karni Singh Range in the national capital. As per the schedule, the selected Asian Games pistol and rifle shooters will train in Bhopal from September 5 to 14. The skeet camp commenced at the Karni Singh Range on Friday, while the camp for trap shooters will be held from September 10 to 18 at the same venue. National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) High Performance Director Pierre Beauchamp said the focus of the camps would be on mental conditioning and technical refinement. "At this stage, our focus shifts from volume to precision, mental conditioning, and technical refinement. "The structure of these final camps allows our sports science and coachi

China Masters: Kidambi Srikanth knocked out after straight-game defeat

Kidambi Srikanth's run at the China Masters Super 750 came to an end in the quarterfinals here on Friday as the former world No.1 was outplayed in straight games by Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu. The 33-year-old Indian, who had shown flashes of his vintage best while finishing runner-up at the US Open Super 300 earlier this year, went down 16-21, 16-21 to the 25th-ranked Lee Cheuk in a 39-minute contest. Srikanth had looked sharp in the previous round, dispatching world No.9 Victor Lai of Canada 21-18, 21-19 in the Round of 16. But against Lee Cheuk, the Indian found himself chasing the game for long stretches, particularly after surrendering the momentum midway through the opening game. Srikanth made a brisk start, racing to a 3-0 lead, but Lee Cheuk was quick to settle into a rhythm. The Hong Kong shuttler reeled off three points to level at 3-3 before turning the screws with a six-point burst that took him to 14-6. Srikanth tried to claw his way back, but the deficit proved too ste

Asian Games: SAI's 'container simulator' readies athletes for unusual stay

The beds are a little over six feet long, the walls are close, and there is little room for anything beyond the essentials. For some of India's athletes, however, spending a night inside a shipping container at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS) here is less about discomfort and more about preparation for an unusual living arrangement awaiting them in Japan at the Asian Games. With the Aichi-Nagoya Games beginning September 19 and no conventional athletes' village this time, Sports Authority of India (SAI) has set up makeshift container rooms at its centres in Patiala and Bengaluru to give its athletes a taste of what they can expect in Japan. The idea is to make the unfamiliar familiar. Athletes are taking turns to spend a night inside the container, waking up the next morning and following their usual routine before heading to training. By the time they reach Japan, the hope is that their accommodation will no longer be a distraction. "Two years ago, when it

Asiad 2026: Can India better its Hangzhou medal tally in Aichi-Nagoya?

India's 2026 Asian Games campaign will be tested by the absence of key Hangzhou medallists, but rising stars and recent form offer a chance to surpass the all-time medal haul

How fans can watch India's football matches vs Brazil, Panama and Uruguay

India will first face Panama at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru before travelling to Kolkata for back-to-back fixtures against Brazil and Uruguay on October 3 and 6

Here's why Jamil doesn't want the return of Chhetri in India national side

Jamil also stressed that players would have to take greater responsibility on the field, while acknowledging that the pressure would increase as the team prepares for important assignments

India's Asiad 2026 campaign suffers another doping blow; cases rise to 12

Wushu player Bhanupratap has tested positive for Enobosarm (Ostarine), a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) associated with muscle and bone development

Asian Games 2026: Indian athletes begin 'Smart Track' training in Bengaluru

With the Asian Games just around the corner, steeplechaser Avinash Sable, long-distance runner Parul Chaudhary and six other Indian track and field athletes are fine-tuning their preparations on a specialised 'smart track' at the SAI NCOE in Bengaluru. The eight are part of a national camp, scheduled to continue until September 8, which has been sanctioned by the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). It also features 800m runner Krishan Kumar, decathlete Thowfeeq N, high jumpers Aadarsh Ram and Supriya B and race walkers Manju Rani and Priyanka. The Asian Games, scheduled in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from September 19 to October 4. A smart track allows coaches to capture real-time performance data during training. "This is one of its kind in India," said Suresh Kumar, Coach (Athletics) at SAI NCOE Bengaluru. "So what happens is when the athlete runs, we get the real-time speed data. We get the split timings, wherever the gates are placed, then the total timing we get, as well as the str