Page 2002 - Sports
Football life in China: From caveman Gazza to thankful Pato
Paul Gascoigne described life in China in 2003 as "like being locked in a cave", but foreign stars in the country today earn among the biggest wages in football and live more like kings than Neanderthals. The most talented English midfielder of his generation, Gascoigne was one of the first big-name footballers to arrive in China when he made the shock decision to be a player-coach of second division Gansu Tianma. Now 50 and fighting alcoholism, Gascoigne lasted just a handful of games at the tail-end of his career and in a subsequent book the man fondly known as "Gazza" described a nightmarish existence. "I hated it at first, especially the food. We had duck's head, duck's eyes, chicken feet and a lot of bat," Gascoigne said in the book "Gazza: My Story". His anecdotes about his stint in Gansu, even now one of the least developed provinces in China, depicted a backwater where nobody understood him and there was nothing to do. It fitted a Western stereotype of life in ...
Five Olympic gold medals up for grabs
Five gold medals are up for grabs on the first day of full competition in the Winter Olympics today, which features the debut of a unified Korean ice hockey team. A day after a gala opening ceremony highlighted rapprochement with the two Koreas marching into the stadium together behind a blue and white unification flag, the joint women's ice-hockey team backed by North Korea's vocal cheerleaders takes on Switzerland in a preliminary match. Elsewhere, gold medals are on offer in cross country skiing, biathlon, speed skating, short track speed skating and ski-jumping. The unified ice hockey team for the Pyeongchang Olympics is a product of a landmark thaw between the rival Koreas following a year of high tensions over the nuclear-armed North's weapons ambitions. The diplomatic breakthrough was highlighted at Friday's opening ceremony attended by North Korea's ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam and the powerful sister of the North's leader Kim Jong Un. Of the 22 North ..
Winter Olympics 2018: Koreans march under unified flag
The 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang kicked off on Friday with the two Koreans marching under unified flag in an opening ceremony themed around peace and future.After months of tensions, the athletes from the two countries marched under the same flag in the parade ceremony.The two-hour long opening ceremony of the first Winter Olympics in South Korea was held under the slogan, "Passion, Connected", reports the Yonhap news agency.The grand event which will run through February 25 will see 2,920 athletes competing for 92 nations with a record 102 gold medals at stake.North Korea has sent a delegation of 22 athletes to compete in five disciplines, with their women's ice hockey players to compete in a unified Korean team.The Pyeongchang Olympics are the second ever to be held on the Korean Peninsula, and its first Winter Games.Seoul last hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Chhattisgarh: Naxal affected Bijapur gets training in sports
Over 240 students from Naxal affected villages of Chhattisgarh are receiveing training in the sports academy set up by District Administration in Bijapur.In less than eight months of training, 17 players of different games have already made it to national level competitions.However, as revealed by Somaru Kashyap, assistant football coach, it was not an easy task for him to come into mainstream as he was constantly pressurised by naxals to join them.Somaru told ANI, "Naxals kept asking me to join them. I said I am educated and I don't want to live in jungle (Abujmarh).""Studying was also difficult. Now I earn Rs 15,000 a month and live with my friend who works in CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force),"he added.Archery coach Durgesh Pratap Singh informed that he is training 24 students, which also includes one para player.An archery shooter Santosh from Basaguda village has also achieved 26th rank in India.Durgesh said, "I would like to credit Bijapur collector for setting this platform ..
CGF says will explore possibility of Khatun's inclusion
The Commonwealth Games Federation today said that it will explore the possibility of a late call-up for Indian para-powerlifter Sakina Khatun after the Indian Olympic Association made a request to include her in the country's team for the Gold Coast CWG. Khatun, who won a bronze in para-powerlifting in the women's lightweight (up to 61kg) category in 2014 Commonwealth Games, had threatened to commit suicide after she was not included in the Indian team for the upcoming CWG. She has also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention for her selection in the Indian team. "The CGF has received a letter sent by the Secretary General of Indian Commonwealth Games Association (CGA), Mr. Rajeev Mehta, expressing concern over India's athlete allocation in the sport of Para-Powerlifting at Gold Coast 2018; and more specifically, the omission of Indian female Para-Powerlifter, Ms. Sakina Khatun," CGF CEO David Grevemberg said in a statement. "...the CGF
Malinga unsure about his cricket-future
Veteran Sri Lankan speedster Lasith Malinga is contemplating his career after the pacer failed to make his spot in the team for the upcoming T20Is against Bangladesh."I'm not sure to what extent I'll be able to carry on playing in the future," ESPNcricinfo quoted Malinga as saying."Right now I am thinking of playing in the domestic one-day tournaments to see what my injuries are like. But I haven't made a decision on anything," he added.Troubled by injuries, Malinga has not been the Sri Lankan selectors' pick in recent times. He also remained unsold in the recently concluded IPL player auctions.Though the 34-year-old would not be playing in the 11th edition of the IPL, he would still be associated with the league being the bowling mentor of Mumbai Indians.Talking about his stint as mentor, Malinga said, "I've learned a lot about cricket and bowling through my career, so it would be great to have the opportunity to pass that knowledge on to a younger group of players.""I've already ...
Officials: 2 explosions in east Afghanistan kill 3
Officials say two remote-controlled explosions went off during local cricket matches in two different districts of eastern Nangarhar province, killing three players and wounding another six people, including spectators. Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor, said Friday that an explosion in Bati Kot district killed three young cricket players and wounded two spectators. The game was a local friendly match. The second explosion occurred in Khogyani district of Nangarhar province wounding four spectators, said Zabiullah Zemarai, a member of the Nangarhar Provincial Council. No one claimed responsibility for the explosions but militants from both the Taliban and the local affiliate of the Islamic State group operate in Nangarhar province.
Ashwin, Jadeja still in 2019 World Cup race: Bharat Arun
Indian bowling coach Bharat Arun on Friday clarified that veteran spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are still not out of the 2019 World Cup race, though the duo was sidelined by wrist-spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav lately.The wrist-spinner duo of Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav has proved fatal for batsmen in the recent times. The two ripped apart the South African battling line in the ongoing six-match ODI series.Arun said, "At that point of time we wanted to try out all the talent we had and then wanted to decide who we wanted for the World Cup. We had a good pool of bowlers and given the volume of cricket we are playing, we needed to keep rotating the bowlers and keep them fresh for every format. These two bowlers showed a lot of promise and we thought that in these conditions wrist spinners would do a lot more than the finger spinners. They have come to the party here""It is not that Ashwin and Jadeja are out of the race, they could still be in the team," Arun
Korean intruder ejected from Olympic opening ceremony
A Korean intruder was tackled by Olympic security and thrown out of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics opening ceremony after attempting to accost two performers, organisers said today. The unwanted guest made a daring entrance, sliding down a long icy chute forming the backdrop to a stage to reach the performers before being wrestled out by security officials. The invasion came just after the two Koreas had marched into the stadium behind the blue-and-white unification flag, possibly indicating the stunt was politically motivated. Police were investigating the incident, but they said no arrests had been made. "It was a Korean spectator and he was removed from the stadium as soon as he was taken off the stage," a spokeswoman for Games organisers told AFP. "He is currently not in police custody but the police are investigating the situation." As the two Koreas marched together in sub-zero temperatures, South Korea's president shared a historic handshake with Kim Jong Un's ...
Unidentified intruder ejected from Olympic ceremony
A male intruder was tackled by Olympic security and thrown out of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics opening ceremony today after attempting to accost two performers. The unwanted guest made a daring entrance, sliding down a long icy chute to reach the performers before being wrestled out by security officials. The invasion came just after the two Koreas had marched into the stadium behind the blue-and-white unification flag, possibly indicating the stunt was politically motivated. Police said no arrests were made, while South Korea organisers confirmed the incident but were unable to give further details when contacted by AFP. As the two Koreas marched together in sub-zero temperatures, South Korea's president shared a historic handshake with Kim Jong Un's sister as the Games marked a thaw in the often frosty relations on the peninsula. However, just a block from the Olympic a few dozen protestors raged against the presence of North Korean athletes and officials at the ...
Kremlin 'regret' as dope-tainted Russians lose late Oly bid
Dozens of Russians implicated in doping lost a last-minute court bid to take part in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics today, prompting relief among rivals but fury in Moscow. Just hours before the opening ceremony, the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected the cases of 47 Russians who wanted to overturn a decision not to invite them to take part. The court decision was quickly welcomed by the International Olympic Committee, which said it "brings clarity for all athletes", and the World Anti-Doping Agency. However, the Kremlin expressed regret over the rejection of the late appeal. "We regret this. We are taking this decision into consideration... and undoubtedly we will continue to help athletes to stand up for their rights," Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko, who is banned by the IOC, railed against the decision and said CAS had come under "pressure" from the International Olympic ...
Debutants Bengaluru FC in play-offs, beat FC Goa 2-0
Debutants Bengaluru FC secured a play-offs berth in this year's Indian Super League (ISL) with a convincing 2-0 win over FC Goa at the Kanteerava stadium here today. The goals were scored by Edu Garcia and Dimas Delgado Morgado in the 35th and 82nd minutes, respectively. The hosts also are on the verge of creating ISL history -- if they win their next match against Pune FC it will be a record sixth on the trot. Though Goa passed the ball around and dominated possession for the first half an hour, Bengaluru who were chasing the ball in hope of forcing errors from their rivals, got their act together gradually. Bengaluru tasted first blood when Toni Dovale sent a corner-kick into the centre of the box where Garcia rose to send a looping header into the top corner of the post. Bengaluru sealed the game in their favour with the second goal after Garcia broke forward on the counter and brought the ball into the centre. Toni Dovakke headed it into the path of Dimas who slotted
Davis to skip opening ceremony after 'dishonorable' coin toss
The US Olympic Committee defended its method of selecting a Games flag-bearer after speed skater Shani Davis expressed his anger at losing on the flip of a coin and said he would skip the opening ceremony. African-American Davis, the top medal winner among the US team at Pyeongchang, missed out to luger Erin Hamlin for the prestigious role in Friday's opening ceremony. Davis will not attend the opening ceremony, according to a US spokesman. He had not originally planned to attend, preferring instead to better prepare for competition in the 500, 1,000 and 1,500m. Voting from one US representative from each of the eight winter sports federations was deadlocked 4-4 between Hamlin -- the first US luge singles medalist -- and Davis. In such cases a coin flip settles the issue. But Davis, a two-time 1,000m champion, took issue at how he lost out and noted it came during what in America is "Black History Month". "I am an American and when I won the 1000m in 2010 I became the ...
Chan the fall guy but Canada rise to the top in team skate
Dual Sochi 2014 silver medallist Patrick Chan was among the star names to take a tumble but Canada still asserted their position as favourites for Winter Olympic figure skating team gold today. American quad wonder Nathan Chen and Russia's European champion Mikhail Kolyada also fell on the first day of action at the Gangneung Ice Arena. That opened the door for Japan to top the early table after an impressive skate from Shoma Uno, proving more than an able deputy to the absent Yuzuru Hanyu. In the following pairs short programme Canadian duo Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford took second behind European champions Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov from Russia to propel Canada from third to first on 17 points. American couple Alexa and Chris Knierim produced a season's best to leave the USA in the silver medal position, three points adrift, with Japan in third. The 27-year-old Chan tumbled on his opening quadtoe loop and again on a triple axel. "It's not the best start I ..
US to skip 2026 Winter Olympic bidding but eyes 2030
The United States is not seeking to host the 2026 Winter Olympics but is not ruling out a bid for 2030, US Olympic Committee chairman Larry Probst said today. On the opening day of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, Probst indicated the US doesn't want to foil planning for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. "We don't currently have any plans to bid for 2026 and we'll keep our options open for 2030," Probst said in South Korea. He noted issues with sponsor support at wedging another Olympics in ahead of one already set, thanks to a deal last year that also handed Paris the 2024 Summer Olympics. "It would make things extremely complicated from a financial standpoint for LA and their holding of the Games," Probst said. Asked what might happen if the International Olympic Committee again decided to secure two hosts at the same time, for 2026 and 2030, Probst said: "If the IOC goes down that path we are prepared to have those discussions.
Three Indians figure in NBA global camp
Three Indians are among the 65 boys and girls from 36 countries who will go all the way to Los Angeles for the fourth annual Basketball Without Borders (BWB) global camp organised by the NBA. The National Basketball Association (NBA), the governing body of the game in the US, will hold the camp from February 16 to 18 at the Los Angeles Lakers' practice facility as part of their All-Star 2018 programme. While Sejin Mathew and Princepal Singh are the Indians in the boys' list, Pushpa is the lone representative from the country in the girls' section. Current NBA assistant coaches John Bryant, Ed Pinckney, Jonah Herscu and Will Scott, former NBA head coach and 1992 "Dream Team" assistant coach P. J. Carlesimo, former NBA champion head coach Paul Westhead, and USA Basketball coach Don Showalter will oversee the youngsters in the camp.
ISL: Bengaluru capitalise on vulnerable FC Goa defence
Leaders Bengaluru FC capitalised on the season-long vulnerable defence FC Goa has produced to blank them 2-0 in the Indian Super League (ISL) encounter at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Friday.
Australia's Travis Head signs for Worcestershire
English county side Worcestershire announced the signing of Australian international Travis Head for the 2018 season today, with the all-rounder targeting a place in his Test team. The 24-year-old captained Adelaide Strikers to glory in this year's Big Bash League and was the competition's fourth highest run-scorer while he impressed with an innings of 96 in Australia's consolation win over England in the recent one-day series. Head, who has 34 one-day international and 10 Twenty20 caps, could boost his Test prospects as he will feature in all three formats for Worcestershire. Worcestershire, promoted last season to division one of the country championship, said they would be looking for "another leading overseas player" in Head's likely absence for Australia's five ODIs and one T20 in England midway through the campaign. "We are delighted to have signed Travis," said Worcestershire vice-chairman Tim Curtis. "Travis will start the season with us in April and will be ...
Relief for Aizawl FC as Saighani cleared to play
In a relief for Aizawl FC, star defender Masih Saighani today got the Protected Area Permit (PAP) required for Afghan nationals to enter Manipur, making him eligible to play in the I-League match against Neroca FC. Defending champions Aizawl FC, currently placed sixth in ongoing edition, take on second-placed Neroca in an afternoon match here tomorrow. "The Home Ministry has issued the PAP and we are hoping that he (Saighani) will be able to make it to Imphal from Guwahati by an early morning flight tomorrow morning. The match starts at 2pm, so we have some time," Aizawl FC owner- cum-president Robert Royte told PTI. Aizawl are currently at the sixth position in the league table with 16 points from 12 games while Neroca are placed second with 27 points from 14 matches. The 31-year-old Saighani landed here on Wednesday with his team and was initially not allowed to leave the airport and enter Imphal city. But, after the intervention of Neroca FC owner, he was allowed to ..
Indian men & women end campaign in Badminton Asia Team C'ship
The Indian men's and women's teams today crashed out of the Badminton Asia Team Championships after losing to China and Indonesia respectively in the quarterfinals here. The women's team, which took the field first, went down to Indonesia 1-3 with Olympic medallist P V Sindhu emerging as the lone Indian to taste success. She beat Fitriani Fitriani 21-13, 24-22 in the first singles. It was all downhill for India from there on as they lost the next three matches. Greysia Polli and Apriyani Rahayu defeated Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy 21-5, 21-16 in the first women's doubles clash. In the second singles, Hanna Ramadini breezed past Priya Kudaravalli 21-8, 21-15. The second doubles sealed the tie for Indonesia as Anggia Shitta Awanda and Mahadewi Istarani beat Sindhu and Sanyogita Ghorpade 21-9, 21-18. In the men's quarterfinal match, India lost to formidable China 1-3 with Kidambi Srikanth being the only Indian winner. The highest ranked Indian beat Shi Yuqi 14-21 21-16