Page 1282 - Sports
'Corfe Castle' trained by
'Corfe Castle' trained by L.D'Silva won the K Mahipathi Rao Memorial Golconda Juvenile Million (GradeIII) Trophy, the main event of the Monsoon Races here today. The winner was ridden by P Trevor. Trainer Satheesh scored a triple,Jockey Nakhat Singh scored a double each respectively. Three favourites obliged in a card of six events.
Rookies dominate China's Asiad squad in preparation for Tokyo Olympics
China on Monday announced its squad for the 18th Asian Games, to be held in Indonesia later this month, with 631 out of the 845 competitors lacking any Asiad or Olympic experience.
FC Barcelona welcomes back full international roster for training
All of FC Barcelona's footballers who took part in the FIFA World Cup have now returned to the Catalan club and took part in training on Monday.
Indian compound archery team world class, will taste success in Asiad: Pagni
Italian star archer Sergio Pagni, who conducted a 10-day training camp with the Asian Games-bound Indian compound team, is excited to see the progress and said it was primed for success in Indonesia. That India had won medals in all the four events of the compound section when the category was introduced in Incheon four years ago, makes them firm favourites in the August 18-September 2 extravaganza. The 39-year-old, who is the only compound archer to have won successive 'World Cup Final' titles in 2010 and 2011, is working with the Indian team since January when the team visited him in Italy for two weeks. "I'm really proud of this group, they are all world class. I am sure that they will come out with flying colours from the Games," Pagni, a two-time World Championship gold medallist, told PTI from Sports Authority of India training centre in Sonepat. "They have some experienced archers like Abhishek Verma and Rajat Chauhan but at the same time the youngsters also shot consistently. .
Married to girl who accused him of rape, paddler Ghosh picking up pieces
His life thrown haywire by a rape allegation, leading Indian table tennis player Soumyajit Ghosh has married his accuser four months after his career nose-dived owing to the crisis. Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong for the 25-year-old in the year he attained a career-high 58th in the International Table Tennis Federation rankings. In March, he was accused for rape by an 18-year-old, that led to the two-time Olympian and India's youngest ever national champion hitting "rock bottom". Four months on, he has not even felt the racket in his hand, is heavier by more than 10 kgs and is a married man. "They say a sportsperson in India has to go through a lot to achieve something. The grind prepares you for the worst but what happened with me four months ago hit me hard and hit me out of nowhere. I did not know how to deal with it," Ghosh told PTI. "Everyone thought about the girl. That she was young. I was young too. If she was a minor, I was 22 when we started dating. I am still
State sports federations must ensure transparent polls:Rathore
The Centre has urged all states to enforce the 2011 Sports Code so that it is followed by the state federations who must ensure 'free and transparent' election process, Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said today. "Sports Code of 2011 lays down very specific guidelines as to how the elections will be conducted and the government through its observer ensures that Sports Code is followed at least by the national federations," he said in the Rajya Sabha. He said the Sports Ministry has written a letter to all Chief Ministers requesting them to enforce the Sports Code so that it is followed by the state federations. Rathore said some sports federations have been derecognised because of certain lacunae in their functioning. "Along with the Indian Olympic Association, we try and ensure that these federations overcome those issues and hold proper elections. Once those elections are held and they apply for recognition by us, we grant them concerned recognition," he ...
ISL: Midfielder Pratesh Shirodkar retained by FC Goa
Indian Super League (ISL) club FC Goa announced today that home-grown midfielder Pratesh Shirodkar will stay with the team for the third year running after joining it from Mumbai City FC in 2016. The 29-year-old brings a wealth of experience to the Goan outfit and adds plenty of steel to an already powerful midfield comprising the likes of Edu Bedia, Ahmed Jahouh and Lenny Rodrigues, said a media release from the club. "I am very happy to sign another contract with FC Goa and really looking forward to the new season," said Shirodkar. "I believe we have a very strong team this year and I am extremely excited to be a part of it," he added. The Calangute-born midfielder began his youth career at the SESA Football Academy before signing a professional contract with Sporting Clube de Goa in 2012. In 2015, Mumbai City FC brought him into their squad where he went on to make seven appearances before returning to Goa to represent the FC Goa the following season.
After Argentina high, India U-20 team set for tournament in Croatia
The AIFF is set to send India's U-20 team to Croatia for a four-nation tournament, general secretary Kushal Das said today, hours after the side shocked superpower Argentina and surprised the football world. India notched up one of its most memorable football triumphs when its under-20 team stunned traditional giants Argentina 2-1 despite being reduced to 10 men in a pulsating contest at the COTIF Cup in Valencia. The under-16 side shocked reigning Asian champions Iraq for the first time, courtesy a last-gasp goal, to bring its campaign back on track at the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Tournament in Amman. Feeling vindicated, Das said the federation always stayed positive despite recent setbacks and negativity around Indian football. "We were always positive and had belief in these boys. Our youth development is doing pretty well and these results are due to that," Das told PTI, hours after the Indian boys upstaged their fancied opponents. "We are next trying to send the U-20
Zeeshan may consider pairing Leander with Ramkumar at Asiad
Leander Paes might team up with Ramkumar Ramnathan instead of Sumit Nagal in this month's Asian Games after captain Zeeshan Ali said he will consider the ATP World Tour finalist's request to pair up with the senior pro. In the originally planned combinations, Rohan Bopanna was teamed up Divij Sharan and Paes was paired with young Sumit Nagal for the men's doubles event. After his sensational run at the ATP Newport event, where he ended a runner-up to Steve Johnson, Ramkumar had said he would love to win a medal with Paes at the Asian Games, beginning August 18 in Jakarta and Palembang. "I will have a chat with the players when we reach there and then take a decision. There are a lot of different aspects to it. I don't want to take any decision now but there is a possibility, considering, that Ram and Leander have played together in the past and know each other's game well," Zeeshan told PTI. Ramkumar and Paes have paired only once on the Tour. At the Pune Challenger in 2016, they ...
Chennaiyin sign Italian midfielder Andrea Orlandi
Indian Super League (ISL) title holders Chennaiyin FC on Monday announced the arrival of Spanish-born Italian midfielder Andrea Orlandi on a one-year deal.
Fifty per cent of school syllabus to be reduced: Rajyavardhan Rathore
In a bid to promote sports in the country, Union Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore today said that a games period will be made mandatory in schools after reducing the syllabus by 50 per cent by next year. "We have come to a stage where sports is not a part of education, it is education. The ministry of education is ensuring that the syllabus in schools by 2019 is reduced by 50 per cent and there will be a sports period on a regular basis," Rathore said. Rathore said the ministry is planning several things to make sports more relevant. "We are also ensuring that the SAI (now SI) reduces its man power by 50 per cent by 2022 so that they can cater to sports and it has a lean body and money is spent on sports. "This year we will have 20 specialised sports schools and the government of India will pump about Rs 7-10 crore each. The idea is to have a very pointed approach so each school will have only two or three main sports. They will be very focussed," he said. Rathore also welcomed the Rugby
Mourinho warns of tough season if Man Utd don't strengthen
Jose Mourinho has warned Manchester United face a "difficult season" if they do not strengthen their squad before the Premier League transfer window shuts on Thursday. United's build-up to the new campaign has been dominated by Mourinho's clear frustration over transfers, which has brought his relationship with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward into the spotlight. The only arrivals at Old Trafford this summer have been Brazilian midfielder Fred, teenage full-back Diogo Dalot and back-up goalkeeper Lee Grant. In sharp contrast, Champions League finalists Liverpool have spent more than 170 million pounds (USD 220 million) on new signings including Brazil's World Cup goalkeeper Alisson and midfielders Fabinho and Naby Keita. "My CEO knows what I want and I still have a few days to wait and see what happens," the Portuguese manager told MUTV ahead of his side's pre-season friendly defeat by Bayern Munich on Sunday. "The other clubs who compete with us are really strong and already have .
Chennaiyin FC signs Italian midfielder Orlandi
Indian Super League team Chennaiyin FC has signed up Spain-born Italian midfielder Andrea Orlandi for a one-year deal. The 34-year-old joins CFC on a free transfer after a spell with Italian Serie B side Novara, a press release here said. Orlandi, who is set to don the No. 10 jersey, is naturally left-footed and can operate in attacking midfield as well as on the wings besides being a threat from set-pieces. Orlandi, who had a brief spell with FC Barcelona early in his career, will embark on his first stint in Asia and India. He will join a familiar face in CFC right-back and fan favourite Inigo Calderon, with whom he played in his formative years at Spanish side Alaves and later at Brighton and Hove Albion in England's championship from 2012 to 2014. "I am really excited to come to India and play for the champions. I am close friends with Calde and as a result I did watch quite a bit of Chennaiyin last season," he said. The Italian player said he also had a chat with ...
Leicester City sign Ghezzal from Monaco
Algerian winger Rachid Ghezzal has moved from Ligue 1 club AS Monaco to English Premier League (EPL) side Leicester City.
Copa Argentina, coveted title for teams aspiring to Libertadores tourney
After the latest Argentine football season, when five teams qualified for the Copa Libertadores, several important clubs are aspiring to win the Copa Argentina so that they won't remain on the sidelines for the biggest tourney in South America in 2019.
Halep remains on top of WTA rankings
Romania's Simona Halep continued to lead the Women's Tennis Association rankings released on Monday with 7,511 points, followed by Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki.
Pom-pom girls and kiss cams: badminton gets edgy to win fans
Pom-pom girls strut their stuff, pop music reverberates around the arena and a "kiss cam" trains its sights on the next unsuspecting couple. Sounds like a basketball or baseball match? Think again: this is badminton, and probably not as many imagined it. It is all part of an attempt by the sport's governing body to attract and keep new fans, the younger the better. "Increasingly we see ourselves as part of the entertainment business and not only the sports-entertainment business," Thomas Lund, secretary general of the Badminton World Federation (BWF), told AFP. "That's a conscious choice... We are competing for people's time and attention -- on television, on social media, online," the Dane said on the sidelines of the World Championships in Nanjing, China. "We want to engage them in badminton and make them think badminton." For spectators, that means more than just loud music and the fancy spotlights that rake over the audience between matches. It is also the thudding "heartbeat" ...
Rogers Cup a good preparation ahead of US Open: Nadal
World number one Rafael Nadal has said that a good performance in the Rogers Cup would boost his confidence ahead of the upcoming fourth major of the season, US Open.The 32-year-old, however, admitted that the conditions in both the tournaments would be different and that performance in one tournament is not likely to create much impact in terms of the result."Of course the good results would be good for the confidence but the conditions are completely different - courts, the ball especially. I know from my experience if I play well here and Cincinnati it's a little bit easier to play well at the US Open but not decisive. Last year I didn't play very well (in Montreal) but I played well at the US Open and won it," the ATP website quoted Nadal, as saying."In 2005 I won here and I lost the third round at the US Open. If you win, you play well in these two events and create this extra confidence to play well there, but if you lose it doesn't matter, the conditions are completely ...
Swastika Ghosh wins bronze in Hong Kong Open TT
Young paddler Swastika Ghosh claimed a bronze medal in the junior girls' doubles along with Singapore's Jingyi Zhou in the 2018 Hang Seng Hong Kong Junior and Cadet Open that concluded last week. The pair defeated their Taipei opponents Pei-Ling Su and Yu-Chin Tsai 3-1 in the round of 16 before overcoming the Chinese duo of Binyue Zhang and Yi Chen with a similar score in the quarter-finals, according to the information received here. The combination of Li Lin Jassy Tan of Singapore and Ruei Ling Wen of Taipei, however, proved too strong for Swastika and her Singapore partner in the semi-finals and the latter lost 2-3 last Saturday to lose the chance to reach the gold medal round. In the junior boys' doubles category, the Indian combination of Raegan Alberquerque and Payas Jain got through to the pre-quarters, but couldn't continue their winning run as they lost to the Thai pair of Yanapong Panagitgun and Supakron Pankhaoyoy.
India register historic win over Iraq
Indian U16 football team have clinched a historic victory over current Asian U16 champions Iraq in the ongoing West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) under sixteen Championship.The team thrashed the opposition side 1-0 to register the first-ever win for any Indian football team against Iraq in any format and among all age groups.The Indian team, which were dominant throughout the match, scored in the last few minutes to provide a perfect finish to the game.Reflecting on the win, Indian coach Bibiano Fernandes said that team's performance in the previous matches kept him confident and he was sure of team's victory."Even though there have been some changes in the Iraqi side team from the side we played at the AFC Qualifiers in Nepal, it's always difficult to play them because of physicality. However, the performance in the previous matches kept us all confident and I knew my boys would give everything to win this match," Fernandes said."I knew we were getting close to scoring. I just had