Page 1116 - Sports
Young Boys prepare for Champions League bow against Manchester United
Players from Swiss football club BSC Young Boys took part in a training session on Tuesday on the eve of their UEFA Champions League group stage debut against English giants Manchester United.
We are convinced Jaspal was best candidate for Dronacharya: NRAI president
Credited for moulding the likes of Manu Bhaker and Anish Bhanwala, junior shooting coach Jaspal Rana was a notable omission from this year's Dronacharya award recommendations but the national federation stood firmly behind him, saying he is the "best candidate" for the honour. The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) said the acclaimed marksman, who uses his rich experience and knowledge to guide the upcoming shooters, should have been considered. He was overlooked despite consistently producing results as the Indian junior team coach for pistol and rifle shooters. "We are convinced he (Jaspal) was the best candidate for the award," NRAI president Raninder Singh told PTI. The national shooting federation's president, though, was hopeful that the multiple Asian Games and Commonwealth Games medallist would soon be bestowed with the honour for his contribution to the sport. ".... it is for the empowered panel to decide on merit and we trust such an accomplished and talented coach ..
'Fashion High' won the Totaram's Cup
R H Sequeria trained 'Fashion High' (Jackey Akshay Kumar Up) won the Totaram's Cup (About) 1200 Metres for Category II horses the main event on the 17th day of the Hyderabad monsoon Races held here today. (The 17th day races originally scheduled for Monday (Sep17) has been postponed to Tuesday (today-Sep 18). Trainer Ravinder S and jockey Akshay Kumar scored double each. Three favourites obliged in a card of seven events.
Captaincy is about 60 per cent off field homework, Ponting's advise for Kohli
Regarded as one of the most successful Australian captain, Ricky Ponting said captaincy is about 60 per cent off the field preparation and 40 per cent on the pitch. Ponting made the comment in reference to India captain Virat Kohli's leadership skills in the context of India's recently-concluded Test tour of England, which the visitors lost 1-4. "I didn't watch every single ball of the Test series. For me what happens off the field is more important," the former Australia captain told PTI Bhasha during an interaction at MCG here. "On the field part like bowling changes or field placement is highly overrated. It is only about 30 or 40 per cent and the rest of the preparations takes place behind close doors before a match," he added. In the aftermath of the disastrous England series, the focus now has shifted to India's upcoming tour of Australia and Ponting said the visitor's success would largely depend on how well they adapt to the conditions Down Under. "It's about adapting to the ..
Saina Nehwal crashes out of China Open
Former world number one Saina Nehwal crashed out of the ongoing China Open after she suffered a first-round defeat against Sung Ji-Hyun of Korea here on Tuesday.The 28-year-old was swept aside 20-22, 21-8, 21-14 by her South Korean opponent in a closely-contested match that lasted 48 minutes.Clinching the first game in a nail-biting clash, Nehwal set the tone right against highly experienced Ji-Hyun.The South Korean shuttler, however, made a solid comeback and attacked the Indian player right from the beginning of the second game. She clinched three consecutive points to take an early 4-1 lead.The Asian Games Bronze medalist failed to cope with rising the point difference as the Korean completely outplayed her to register a dominating 21-8 victory in the second game.The deciding game started with the Korean shuttler again taking the initial lead of three points.After trailing the game 6-14, Nehwal tried to gain some momentum as she clinched a couple of points and fought hard to reduce
Ganguly backs ATK to win ISL this season
Former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and co-owner of Indian Super League side ATK, hopes the team will rise afresh after a forgettable last season. The two-time champions looked completely out of sorts in the last season finishing a dismal ninth, its worst-ever performance since the inception of the league. This season ATK have made their intentions clear roping in Steve Coppell, who had guided Kerala Blasters to a runners-up finish in his first season, and took debutants Jamshedpur FC to a creditable fifth place in the previous edition. "To all, this is the new film of the season, hopefully it will bring us luck and we will have a good year. Our record at Hero ISL is phenomenal, yes it wasn't a great last year but we will surely turn it around this time," Ganguly said on the sidelines of a promotional shoot. Season five of ISL will kick off with ATK taking on Kerala Blasters FC on September 29 at the Saltlake Stadium.
Arpinder eyes podium finish at Tokyo Olympics
Triple jumper and Asian Games gold medallist Arpinder Singh aims at a podium finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after becoming the first Indian to clinch a medal in the IAAF Continental Cup. Before the Tokyo Games, he has a golden chance to test his mettle at next year's Asian and World Championships in Doha, Qatar. "This year has been really amazing for me. Next year, there is Asian Track and Field (athletics championships) and the World Championships and I hope to do well in these tournaments," Arpinder told reporters here Tuesday. After the Asiad gold, Arpinder created history by becoming the first Indian to win a medal in the IAAF Continental Cup at Ostrava in Czech Republic as he clinched bronze with a modest effort of 16.59 metres. "My target is the Tokyo Olympics and I hope I get a medal over there as well," said Arpinder at a promotional event of Godrej Cinthol. "No doubt, the competition will be greater at the Olympics than the Asian Games. If we give our best, ..
Track Asia Cup to start from Sep 21-23
The fifth edition of the Track Asia Cup will be held at the Indira Gandhi Cycling Velodrome here from September 21-23, the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) announced Tuesday. The event also serves as a qualifying event for the World Cup, World Championship and the 2020 Japan Olympics. The tournament which is a UCI (International Cycle Union) class I accredited event will see participation from about 150 cyclist across from across Asia and Australia. India will field a 17-member team comprising senior and junior cyclists. The federation has also entered a team of cyclists from SAINCA, an academy jointly managed by the Sports Authority of India and CFI. The junior team will be led by Esow Alben, who is currently the top ranked individual in the Kierin event in the UCI world rankings. Esow had won three gold medals in the Asian Track Cycling Championship, the only male cyclist to achieve the feat in the event, held in Malaysia in February. "This competition is a buildup competition for .
Didn't expect Arjuna this year: Hima Das
India's newest sprint sensation Hima Das Tuesday said she didn't expect to be nominated for the Arjuna award this year, despite her stunning season in international athletics. The 18-year-old from Assam was among the 20 sportspersons recommended for the Arjuna Award, which is subject to approval by Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. "I didn't expect to win the Arjuna this year. I was thinking may be next year, I will be considered," said Hima, who clinched the gold medal at the U-20 World Championship in Finland, on the sidelines of a promotional event organised by Adidas. Nicknamed the "Dhing Express", Hima has been a sensation this year as she added three medals -- a gold and two silvers from the 18th Asian Games -- to her World Championship gold. The star sprinter won gold in Women's 4400m and silver medals in mixed 4x400m and 400m individual event. Asked when she will start training, Hima said: "The season is over now. Next year, there is South Asian Games, Asian ...
Asia Cup: India asked to bat first against Hong Kong
Hong Kong won the toss and asked India to bat first in the latter's opening clash of the ongoing Asia Cup here at Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday.Following the toss, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma said, "It is important to get used to the conditions as soon as possible, but the boys have prepared well and are raring to go. Asia Cup is the biggest tournament in Asia, and it's quite competitive, so you cannot take your step off the pedal. It is something we've spoken about, but the boys are excited."Rohit continued: "It's the first time they're (the team) playing in this part of the world. Our batting has always dominated and we were worried about our bowling, but it's the opposite now, and it is something we are looking at."Reflecting on the playing XI, Sharma confirmed that fast bowler Khaleel would be making his ODI debut against Hong Kong in the match.Hong Kong captain Anshuman Rath, on the other hand, said that the team is looking forward to seeing how the pitch behaves during .
Asia Cup: Hong Kong to field against India
Hong Kong won the toss and elected to field against India in the group A match of the Asia Cup here on Tuesday.
FIFA president Infantino has doubts about La Liga match in Miami
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has expressed concern about La Liga's proposal to stage a fixture between Girona and Barcelona in the United States. The two clubs have each approved a request submitted to the Spanish Football Federation for the match to be played at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on January 26. It was originally scheduled as a home game for Girona, at their Estadi Montilivi. The idea has proven controversial. Girona would be surrendering the advantages of playing at their own home ground, which in theory could benefit Barcelona. Infantino said on Tuesday: "I think I would prefer to see a great MLS game in the US rather than La Liga being in the US. In football, the general principle is that you play a 'home' match at 'home', and not in a foreign country." La Liga president Javier Tebas responded on Twitter. He wrote: "I will remind the president of FIFA that in the MLS, three teams of Canada participate, and Toronto is the current champion, and also in Canada there is
Arsenal chief executive Gazidis to join AC Milan
Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis is to leave the club to take up a similar post at Italian giants AC Milan, the Premier League club announced on Tuesday. Speculation that Gazidis -- who oversaw Unai Emery's appointment to replace Arsene Wenger in May -- will depart for Italy has been rife for some time. Now the move has been confirmed, with Raul Sanllehi, currently head of football relations at the Emirates Stadium, to become head of football when Gazidis heads to Milan. Arsenal's chief commercial officer Vinai Venkatesham will take over the role of managing director at the same point. Gazidis, 54, has reportedly been offered 3.6 million pounds (USD 4.7 million) a year -- a 1 million increase in his present salary -- and an equity stake in the AC Milan by the American owners Elliott Management, who took over in July. Gazidis, who will leave Arsenal by the end of October, has worked for the Gunners since 2009 and has been behind a radical change in management structure at the ...
Book on India's star sprinter Dutee Chand slated for release in 2019
Giving her fans a rare opportunity to be up to 'speed' with her life, ace sprinter Dutee Chand will soon come out with a book tracing her journey so far -- on-field and off-field. The book, written by journalist and author Sundeep Mishra, is story of Chand's rise from abject poverty to becoming one of country's biggest sprinting stars. It also talks about the sprinter's hyperandrogenism controversy and how she came out clean and strong after beating all the odds. "The story is of the re-emergence of a woman people didn't believe was one," said the author. Chand was banned by the Athletics Federation of India in 2014 under the hyperandrogenism policy of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). As per the policy, female athletes with high levels of naturally producing testosterone are not allowed to compete on the ground citing unfair advantage over their peers. Following the case of Dutee Chand vs Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and The International ...
Sehwag, Afridi to host UC Browser show
UC Browser, the countrys leading mobile browser, Alibaba Digital Media and Entertainment Group, will host live streamed chats with former cricket stars Virender Sehwag and Shahid Afridi during the highly anticipated Asia Cup encounters between arch-rivals India and Pakistan on September 19 and 23.
U-16 girls battle 'challenging weather' as they gear up for Pakistan
The "extreme" weather conditions are proving to be a tougher challenge than their opponents, as India geared up to take on Pakistan in the AFC U-16 Women's Qualifiers here Wednesday. The Indian girls started their campaign on a winning note, breezing past Hong Kong 6-1 and as the team looked forward to the next game, coach Firmin D'Souza said, "We are ready for the test". Firmin guided India to the SAFF U-15 Women's Championship title in Bhutan last month. Pakistan lost to hosts Mongolia 0-8 in their opening encounter before going down 0-3 against Laos. Although the Girls in Blue are leading the group at the moment, the coach said that the extreme weather condition is taking a toll on the players. "With temperature averaging at close to 2-degree centigrade and constant chilling winds hovering around, it's a heavy challenge for the girls to come up with their best. But we are trying our best to get accustomed with that," he said. "However, the girls have fared well so far and they're ..
Opinionated women not easily accepted in our country: Jwala Gutta (IANS Interview)
She remembers the time when some of her seniors gave statements that she can't play badminton but that made Jwala Gutta more determined and she went on to win both Junior and Senior Nationals in the same year.
Pakistan PM Imran Khan to watch Indo-Pak match tomorrow: Pak media reports
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to watch his country's Asia Cup group league encounter against India Wednesday, according to media reports here. Imran, a legendary former Pakistan cricket captain, is also the patron-in chief of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). "Prime Minister Imran Khan will watch the Pakistan-India Asia Cup clash in Dubai on Wednesday, diplomatic sources said," GEO TV reported The Pakistan PM left for his first foreign visit to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The arch rivals are facing each other for the first time in the United Arab Emirates since 2006. Incidentally, Imran was the captain of Pakistan for the better part of the Indo-Pak duels in Sharjah from the mid 80's to early 90s.
Will prepare myself for WI Tests keeping on turners at NCA: Rishabh Pant
Brimming with confidence after his maiden Test hundred in England, young Rishabh Pant is now aiming to fine-tune his wicket-keeping skills at the NCA ahead of the two-Test series against the West Indies, starting October 4. Pant is likely to do simulation training in Bengaluru by keeping on tracks that offer turn in order to get ready for the decks that will be on offer in Rajkot and Hyderabad. "In India, the wickets are expected to be different from England or may be like the one at the Oval. I plan to to visit NCA before the series and keep on tracks where there will be roughs," Pant told PTI during an interaction on the sidelines of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Chairman of selectors MSK Prasad, in a recent interview to PTI, said that they are trying to arrange for an exclusive keeping session for the youngster. "I am very happy that he (MSK Prasad) wants to help me out with my keeping. As a youngster, it is my duty to keep learning, improve at every given opportunity. That should be my
Never weighed down: In pursuit of gold, Mary Kom lost 2kg in 4 hours
Lose 2kg in 4 hours. Sounds like the advert of an outlandish weight-loss regimen? No, this was the practical challenge that a jet-lagged M C Mary Kom was confronted with when she landed in Poland for a just-concluded boxing tournament -- the one where she picked up her third gold of the year, adding to a seemingly count-less tally. "We landed in Poland at round 3-3:30 in the morning and the general weigh-in was at around 7:30am. I was a couple of kilograms above 48kg, the category I compete in, at that point," the five-time world champion, who is also an Olympic bronze-medallist, told PTI in an interview after her return to the country. "So, I had roughly four hours to shed that or I would have been disqualified for being over-weight at the time of general weigh-in. But I did skipping for an hour at a stretch and just like that, I was ready," said the 35-year-old, a colossus not just in Indian boxing but also internationally. "Thankfully, the flight we travelled in was nearly empty so