Page 1788 - Sports
Pearson pulls out of Commonwealth Games
Poster-girl Sally Pearson pulled out of the Commonwealth Games on Thursday after failing to recover from an Achilles problem, dealing a heavy blow to the event. Australia's Pearson, the 100 metres hurdles world champion, said she was "disappointed" but added that she needed to give herself the best chance of competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The Gold Coast resident and former Olympic champion, 31, has been troubled by an Achilles problem but said it "spiked very quickly" two days ago. She said she waited before making her announcement as she is the face of the Games, playing a prominent role in Wednesday's opening ceremony. "It's about my health," Pearson told reporters.
India thrash Lanka 3-0 in women's team TT
India thrashed Sri Lanka 3-0 in the women's team table tennis group match on the first day of competitions in the Commonwealth Games here today. Manika Batra hardly broke a sweat in her 11-3 11-5 11-3 victory over Erandi Warusawithana in the first singles before Sutirtha Mukherjee made it 2-0 up for India with an easy 11-5 11-8 11-4 win against Ishara Manikku Badu. Sutirtha then paired with Pooja Sahasrabudhe in the doubles to notch up a 11-6 11-7 11-3 win against the Sri Lankan duo of Hansani Kapugeekiyana and Ishara Manikku Badu to wrap up the tie in style. "It felt really good. We played really well and I'm happy with our performance. I'm confident going into the match (against Wales) this afternoon. We're all in good shape," Manika said. Asked about a suspected shoulder injury, she said, "Thankfully I wasn't injured. I just wanted to stretch out a bit.
Horton chases Thorpe target, Scotland eyes double gold
Olympic champion Mack Horton put himself in line to emulate the great Ian Thorpe as Australia and Scotland shared the honours in the opening day swimming heats at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games on Thursday. Horton and rising youngster Ariarne Titmus were both fastest qualifiers for Australia, while Hannah Miley and Ross Murdoch gave Scotland hope of double gold for the opening night of finals in the Southport outdoor pool. There was also drama on day one with English defending champion Ben Proud disqualified after winning his 50m butterfly heat for a false start. Horton, who upset Chinese reigning Olympic champion Sun Yang to snatch gold at Rio two years ago, will be favourite to take the gold in the 400m freestyle. If he does he will join five-time Olympic champion Thorpe, who was the last Australian man to win the event in Manchester in 2002. "I didn't know that. I feel the pressure is on a lot now," Horton said. "I'll just be trying to go as fast as I can tonight." Horton hit ...
Nadal back in bullring for season-defining Davis Cup duty
Rafael Nadal faces a potentially season-defining Davis Cup weekend as the 16-time Grand Slam champion returns for his first appearance since hobbling out of the Australian Open in January with a crippling hip injury. The 31-year-old Nadal leads Spain into a home quarter-final against Germany at Valencia's iconic Plaza de Toros bullring, boasting a remarkable record in the tournament. He is on a 22-match winning streak in singles with his only loss coming on debut for five-time champions Spain back in 2004. However, it's recent history which now concerns Nadal. He may be back at world number one, but Nadal is far from fully recovered from the hip problem which forced him to sit out the Indian Wells and Miami Masters. "It's been a tough few months," admitted Nadal, ahead of a Davis Cup tie which will see him go toe-to-toe with Germany's Alexander Zverev, the world number four widely seen as heir apparent to the great Spaniard. "But I am excited to be back -- hopefully it will be a ...
Two own-goals help Barca take charge of quarter-final against Roma
Barcelona can start planning for the Champions League semi-finals but their 4-1 win over Roma on Wednesday will not necessarily have rivals quivering in their boots. Two own-goals, from Daniele De Rossi and Kostas Manolas, and a close-range finish from Gerard Pique, presented the Catalans with a flattering 3-0 advantage at the Camp Nou before Edin Dzeko snatched Roma a late away goal. But, just as the Italians looked to have grabbed a lifeline, Luis Suarez restored the three-goal cushion, by scoring a fourth in the 87th minute. It means Barca will head to Italy next week with a place in the last four firmly in their grasp but this was not a virtuouso attacking display. Instead, they benefited from two fortuitous own goals and some careless Roma finishing. Ernesto Valverde's side are unlikely to meet as generous an opponent in the semi-final. After Cristiano Ronaldo's spectacular bicycle kick for Real Madrid on Tuesday, even Lionel Messi, back from injury here, endured a slightly ...
Commonwealth Games: Wales shock India in women's hockey
India were defeated 2-3 by lowly Wales on the first day of the women's hockey competition at the Commonwealth Games here on Thursday.
Spain, Germany hold Davis Cup training on clay at Valencia bullring
The Spain and Germany Davis Cup teams trained on the clay court inside Valencia's bullring, the iconic Plaza de Toros, which in two days is to host the international men's team tournament quarterfinals.
Early blitz hands Liverpool commanding lead over Man City
Liverpool swept Manchester City aside with a three-goal blitz in 19 first-half minutes to take a commanding 3-0 first leg lead in their Champions League quarter-final. Champions-elect City lead Liverpool by 18 points in the Premier League, but their only league defeat this season came in a 4-3 thriller at Anfield in January, and they suffered an even worse fate on Wednesday to leave their hopes of winning the European Cup for a first time hanging by a thread. Just as in the January meeting between the sides, the prolific Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane were on target for the hosts. However, a perfect night for Liverpool was marred when Salah limped off with an injury early in the second half. City could already be crowned English champions by the time the sides meet again for the second leg in six days' time should they beat local rivals Manchester United on Saturday. However, it will take an extraordinary Etihad turnaround if they are to make just their second ..
Liverpool stun Man City 3-0 in Champions League quarters
English football giants Liverpool defeated Manchester City 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal tie here, leaving the Reds poised to return to Europe's final four for the first time in a decade.
Bogdan leads Sorribes Tormo at rain-interrupted Monterrey Open
Sixth-seeded Romanian Ana Bogdan was leading Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-2, 4-3, 30-30 when rain halted play at the Monterrey Open here.
Liverpool condemns fans attack on Manchester City's bus
Liverpool fans showered Manchester City's bus with a variety of objects as it arrived at Anfield for the Champions League match between the Reds and Citizens.
Barcelona cruise 4-1 against AS Roma
FC Barcelona look assured of advancing to the Champions League semifinals after inflicting a 4-1 defeat on AS Roma in the first leg of the quarterfinal clash.
Milan derby ends goalless; Torino batter relegation-bound Crotone
AC Milan and Inter Milan played a goalless draw in the derby, while Torino romped 4-1 over a Crotone side that sit 18th in Serie A with eight matches left in the season.
CWG 2018: Ind defeats SL in badminton mixed-team championship
The star-studded Indian Badminton team on Thursday defeated Sri Lanka in Group A of the mixed team championship, on Day 1 of the Commonwealth Games 2018.Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikkanth won their respective singles matches, while the pairs of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and Ruthvika Gadde, Satwik Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, and Ashwini Ponnappa and N. Sikki Reddy emerged winners in the Doubles to help India beat Sri Lanka, 5-0.In Table Tennis as well, India made a winning start by beating Sri Lanka.After paddlers Manika Batra and Sutirtha Mukherjee won their the singles fixtures, Pooja Sahasrabudhe and Sutirtha Mukherjee emerged winners in the Doubles.However, in Women's Hockey, India made a dismal start.The team went down 2-3 to Wales, after trailing for most of the Group A clash.Meanwhile, Weightlifter P Gururaja knocked off India's medal tally, winning silver, in the 56kg category.
Ghana to probe visa scandal at Commonwealth Games in Australia
Ghana's sports ministry is launching a probe into media reports of visa racketeering scandal that has hit the country's participation at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Australia, Pius Enam Hadzide, deputy sports minister, said.
Sports Schedule for Thursday, April 5
Sports Schedule for Thursday, April 5 COMMONWEALTH GAMES 1st day: All news, feature and analytical stories related to Indian contingent's performance at the Gold Coast. CRICKET Day 3 of BCCI's Media Rights Auction IPL Related stories from all across the country Ricky Ponting expected to speak on ball tampering in Delhi. FOOTBALL Super Cup: East Bengal vs Mumbai City FC in Bhubaneswar (8 pm) Preview: NEROCA FC vs Kerala Blasters TENNIS Davis Cup: Preview of India vs China tie in Tianjin. Other stories related to Indian tennis GOLF Augusta Masters.
Thought the bar was too heavy when I started, recalls Gururaja
For a man who couldn't get a hang of how to lift the bar for the longest time, weightlifter P Gururaja said he hasn't done too badly for himself as he reflected on the silver around his neck that opened India's medal account in the 21st Commonwealth Games today. The 25-year-old, hailing from a small village in Karnataka, could hardly stop smiling as he soaked in the attention that came with being the ceremonial account-opener at the quadrennial event. The moment didn't come easy, as his first two attempts in clean and jerk had been declared invalid and he was under tremendous pressure in the final attempt. "After I failed the first two attempts, my coach reminded me how much my life depends on this. I remembered my family and my country," he said when asked what went through his mind in those nervy moments. Gururaja equalled his personal best of 249kg (111kg+138kg) to finish second. "When I started in 2010, in the first month of my training, I was so frustrated because I didn't even ..
Commonwealth Games: Swimmer Khade advances to men's 50m butterfly semis
India's Virdhawal Khade advanced to the semi-finals in the mens 50 metre butterfly event of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Optus Aquatic Centre here on Thursday.
Lifter Gururaja claIms silver, opens India's CWG medal account
Weightlifter P Gururaja opened India's medal account on the first competition day of the 21st Commonwealth Games, claiming a silver in the men's 56kg category here today. The 25-year-old Gururaja, making his CWG debut, equalled his personal best of 249kg (111+138) to finish second in a field where Malaysia's three-time Commonwealth Championships medallist Muhammad Izhar Ahmed (117+144) broke the Games record for snatch and overall lift. "I am very happy to have opened India's medal account in the Games. It was nowhere close to being my best performance but I am glad that it was enough to get me a silver medal," a grinning Gururaja said after the effort. Gururaja was third after snatch, pulling off a best of 111kg after two good lifts before surviving a few nervy moments in clean and jerk. The Indian failed in his first two attempts before managing a good lift off his last chance to zoom to the top half of the table. "I didn't quite understand why my second lift was not declared valid.
Commonwealth Games: Lifter Gururaja opens India's medals tally
Gururaja bagged the first medal for India at the 21st edition of the Commonwealth Games with silver in the men's 56 kilogram category here on Thursday.