Page 250 - Sports
Leading distance runners for TCS World 10K
The women's race at the TCS World 10K Bengaluru on Sunday will bring together two of the world's leading distance runners who will be using the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Gold Label Road Race as a vital part of their preparations for the IAAF World Championships Doha, scheduled later in 2019.
Indian Open: Shiva aims for a golden homecoming
Four-time Asian championship medallist Shiva Thapa is gearing up to make his homecoming special by winning gold at the second edition of the India Open boxing meet in Guwahati from May 20. Armed with a silver medal from the GeeBee Boxing Tournament and a record fourth Asian Championships medal this year, the 25-year-old once again looks sharp and agile and is hungry to prove himself. "Yes, there are a lot of expectations from me for the gold. I recently got a bronze medal from the Asian Championships and that tells me that the gold is not far off," Thapa said the medal in Bangkok in April, when he became the first Indian male boxer to claim four consecutive Asian medals. He had won a gold in 2013, a bronze in 2015 followed by a silver in 2017 at the same tournament. At the Indian Open he suffered an upset loss in the semi-finals in the first edition of the in New Delhi last year. "I am hungry to change the colour of the medal which is what I think every boxer would want to. And it ...
RSC, SSB win in Hero IWL
Rising Student Club and SSB Women FC notched up contrasting wins over FC Alakhpura and Hans Women FC respectively in the Hero Indian Women's League here Friday. SSB Women FC blanked Hans Women FC 2-0 to secure a spot in the semifinals. Anibala Devi, who put SSB in the lead in the first half, was the star of the show, before Sandhya Kachhap added a second minutes before the final whistle. In the other match, Sibani Sharma and Ashrita Kangadi scored two goals as RSC managed to post their first win of the campaign with a 2-1 win over FC Alakhpura at the Guru Nanak Stadium here. Raveena had scored at the 28th minute to pull one back for Alakhpura.
Double Olympic biathlon champion Dahlmeier retires aged 25
Germany's double Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier announced her retirement on Friday at the age of just 25 after struggling with health issues. "After an unbelievably tough season full of ups and downs, I no longer feel the one hundred percent passion required for professional sport. That's why I have decided to end my active biathlon career," Dahlmeier wrote in an Instagram post on Friday. She has won seven world championship gold medals, and last year in Pyeongchang she became the first female biathlete to win both the sprint and the pursuit at the same Olympics. Dahlmeier took a two-month break to recover from illness in October, before returning to win the 12.5km mass start at the World Cup event in Antholz last January. Fellow German biathlete Magdalena Neuner also retired as a double Olympic champion aged 25 in 2012.
It's like being called up again for the first time - Cazorla
Santi Cazorla discovered his remarkable comeback had taken him into the Spain squad for the first time since 2015 when his team-mates chanted his name on Friday. "I found out from my team-mates," the midfielder said. "After training I heard them chanting my name and I didn't know why. That was when they started congratulating me." Spain's latest squad announcement also included confirmation that Luis Enrique will not take charge of their upcoming games against the Faroe Islands and Sweden for personal reasons, but he will continue as coach. Cazorla required numerous operations on knee, foot and ankle injuries that began in 2013, while an aggressive infection in his heel needed a skin graft, extracted from his left forearm. Told he was lucky to walk again and could have lost his leg, Cazorla chose not to retire, instead moving to Villarreal from Arsenal last year. The 34-year-old's call-up comes after he was one of Villarreal's stand-out players this season, helping them avoid ...
Strategists who will call the shots this World Cup
When all the 10 participating teams put themselves on the shop window for the World Cup in England and Wales starting May 30, there will be members in each side who will not only be part of the leadership group, but will also be tasked with strategising on the team's behalf, treading cautiously and wary of a slip which can cost them dear.
Pakistan's Imam-ul-Haq in World Cup injury scare
Pakistan batsman Imam-ul-Haq suffered a nasty-looking injury just weeks away from the start of the World Cup when he was struck a painful blow on the arm by England fast bowler Mark Wood on Friday. The incident took place in the fourth over of Friday's penultimate international of the five-match series at Trent Bridge when left-handed opener Imam missed an intended pull off an 89 mph delivery from the recalled Wood that hit him on the elbow. Imam, fresh from his career-best 151 in the third ODI at Bristol on Tuesday, fell to the ground and winced on the turf in the agony. The 23-year-old nephew of Pakistan great and selection chief Inzamam-ul-Haq then had several minutes' treatment before retiring hurt on three not out, with the tourists then nine without loss. World Cup hosts and tournament favourites England lead this five-match series 2-0.
Roland Garros-bound Federer limps out of Italian Open
World number three Roger Federer pulled out of the Italian Open before his quarter-final match on Friday with a right leg injury. Federer, a four-time Rome finalist, had been due to meet Greek eighth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas for a place in the semi-finals. The Swiss 20-time Grand Slam winner was playing in Rome to prepare for his return to the French Open for the first time since 2015. "I am disappointed that I will not be able to compete today," said Federer. "I am not 100 percent physically and after consultation with my team, it was determined that I not play. "Rome has always been one of my favourite cities to visit and I hope to be back next year." Federer had been on court nearly four hours on Thursday as competitors played two matches after rain delays midweek. The 37-year-old saved two match points to win through 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9/7) against Borna Coric to advance to the quarter-finals after earlier easing to a straight sets win over Portgual's Joaa Suosa. The former world ...
ICC releases official song for World Cup
The ICC on Friday released the official song of the Men's World Cup -- 'Stand By' with LORYN and Rudimental across all streaming platforms. 'Stand By' -- a collaboration between new artist LORYN and one of the UK's most successful and influential acts, Rudimental will be played in ground and city events across the tournament when the showpiece event begins on May 30. The ICC Men's World Cup is one of the world's biggest global sporting events, attracting around one million sporting fans soaking up the action in the UK and a further billion fans watching world-wide across the 48-match event. 'Stand By' will provide a common voice for fans when they show their passion for their respective teams during the month and a half long tournament which culminates on July 14.
India lose 2-5 to Australia in final match of Down Under tour
The Indian men's hockey team ended their tour Down Under with a 2-5 loss to world no.2 Australia in the fifth and final match here on Friday. Trent Mitton (11th and 24th minutes), Flynn Ogilvie (3rd), Blake Govers (28th) and Tim Brand (43rd) scored for the hosts while Nilakanta Sharma (12th) and Rupinderpal Singh (53rd) registered their names on the scoresheet for India. The visitors had the opening chance in the match, but it was cleared by Eddie Ockenden, while on the counter Australia forced Indian goalkeeper Krishan Pathak to make a brilliant save towards his left side as deflected it outside for a long corner. The following seconds saw Australia score the opening goal of the match in the 3rd minute as Ogilvie managed to get the final touch. The 8th minute saw Mandeep Singh win a penalty corner for India, but the resulting execution was wasted as Nilakanta Sharma could not trap the ball properly. This meant Australia broke on the counter but only for Rupinderpal Singh to return ...
AIFF slaps fine on five I-League clubs
The All India Football Federation's (AIFF) disciplinary committee has imposed a hefty fine of Rs 10 lakh each on five I-League clubs.The clubs, which have been slapped with the penalty, are Aizawl FC, Gokulam Kerala FC, NEROCA FC, Churchill Brothers and Minerva Punjab FC. The East Bengal were handed a fine of Rs 5 lakh for pulling out of Super Cup in March-April."The club cannot be held guilty of indiscipline or misconduct. It is the sponsors of the club (Quess) who committed so and intended to jeopardise the integrity of the competition. Balancing upon the degree of culpability, the committee felt that in order to reduce the humiliation upon East Bengal, quantum of fine should be less than the other clubs and imposed penalty of Rs 5 lakh," Goal.com quoted the AIFF's judgment.Moreover, the decision relating to Mohun Bagan has not been given and the case has been referred to the Arbitration since they had withdrawn from the competition and had also not registered their players.
Winner of UC Miss Cricket Debuts at New York Times Square Billboard
Winner of the highly-popular UC Miss Cricket Contest, 23-years-old Sana Sultan Khan from Mumbai, has made history with her debut on a New York Times Square Billboard.UC Miss Cricket is an exciting property offered by UC with an aim to be India's 1st cricket-themed online pageant. The contest received an overwhelming response with over 2 million UC users and cricket fans taking part. The contest, launched as part of UC's cricket coverage, added a fun element to the browser's IPL updates."I am really overwhelmed and earnestly grateful for the recognition. Not many girls get a chance to feature on a billboard at New York Times Square. The journey with UC Browser has been a dream come true. I hope I am able to turn this around and become an inspiration for many young girls out there. I believe there is a lot to come in the near future but UC will always be the foundation of my success story", said Sana Khan.Running for the second year in a row, UC Miss Cricket, in association with Club ...
Rashid win at Chandigarh; Gaurav, Shankar claim joint second place
Delhi's Rashid Khan, who largely went unnoticed on the first three days of the TATA Steel PGTI Players Championship, knocked out all his closest rivals with a gallant final round of six-under-66 to register a two-shot victory at 13-under-275. The 28-year-old Rashid (70-68-71-66), a two-time Asian Tour winner, earned a just reward for firing the last day's best score as he lifted his 12th professional trophy which was also his 10th on the PGTI. Khan's second title of the season pushed him up from second place to first position in the 2019 TATA Steel PGTI Order of Merit as his season's earnings now read Rs. 25,68,453. Rashid overtook previous money list leader Chikkarangappa of Bengaluru. Noida's Gaurav Pratap Singh (69-67-71-70) and round three leader Shankar Das (68-68-68-73) of Kolkata, who were both in contention till the final stages at the Chandigarh Golf Club (CGC), claimed joint second position at 11-under-277. The highest-placed golfers from the host city were the trio of Aadil
Indian team invests in monitoring player load management
The Indian cricket team management have invested in a player load management system to help enhance their performance ahead of the World Cup.
Chennaiyin FC sign Edwin Vanspaul on two-year deal
Indian Super League side Chennaiyin FC on Friday announced the signing of 26-year-old Edwin Vanspaul from I-League side Chennai City FC (CCFC) on a permanent move subject to transfer window regulations.
Modest start for Diksha Dagar in Spain
Diksha Dagar had a modest start with three-over 75 that placed her down at tied-61st place at the end of the first round of the inaugural La Reserva de Sotogrande Invitational. Diksha, who had a breakthrough win at the South Africa Women's Open in March, will need to ensure a solid round the make the cut. Tvesa Malik (76) and Astha Madan (78) were further down. Diksha had three birdies against six bogeys on a challenging track. England's Charlotte Thompson shot a career-best six-under-par 66 in the first round. Rising rookie star Esther Henseleit from Germany is one shot back in second, with local favourite Maria Parra, Germany's Olivia Cowan, Australian Whitney Hillier and English duo Hannah Burke and Gemma Clews tied for third on four-under-par. Thompson, who averages 275-280 yards off the tee, used her distance to her advantage on the difficult, 6427-yard long course. Thompson started from the 10th and played her first nine in two-under-par 34 but kicked on with a 32 over her ...
We have to respect Griezmann's decision to quit Atletico Madrid: Alvaro Morata
Atletico Madrid player Alvaro Morata believes that his team-mate Antoine Griezmann's decision to leave the club should be respected."It's a decision that we have to respect, we have to thank him for what he's done for this club, which is a lot, and we respect his decision," Goal.com quoted Morata, as saying."We wish he could have stayed, but he's taken that decision. We are finishing the season, but we have the same excitement for next season."After spending five years with the club, Griezmann confirmed his exit from the club on May 15. However, Morata feels that they will have to accept it and keep going."Everyone found out (he was leaving) in their own way. It depends on the relationship we have with him. It doesn't matter how; the situation is what it is. We have to accept it and keep going," he said.Morata also said that they are working to find a replacement and make a competitive team for the next season."Change is always difficult, but we are working to make a competitive team .
Ranji captains conclave: Introduction of DRS, dropping coin toss among suggestions made
The introduction of Decision Review system in Ranji Trophy and doing away with the concept of coin toss were among some of the suggestions put forward by the captains and the coaches of the domestic teams during a conclave conducted by the BCCI, here Friday. DRS has been so far restricted to international cricket but the call to introduce it in domestic structure has grown following poor umpiring decisions in the last Ranji Trophy season, which saw a significant rise in the number of matches with the addition of new teams. During the conclave, the captains and coaches called for the introduction of DRS with the available technology for televised (television and digital broadcast) Ranji Trophy games. Multiple umpiring howlers marred the Ranji semifinal between Saurashtra and Karnataka, last season. Key batsman Cheteshwar Pujara was ruled not out despite a huge nick and his century changed the course of the match. There was also discussion on doing away with the coin toss and letting ...
Chennaiyin FC signs Edwin Vanspaul on two-year deal
Indian Super League team Chennaiyin FC Friday announced the signing of Edwin Vanspaul from I-League side Chennai City FC on a two-year contract. The versatile Vanspaul has been signed up on a permanent move subject to transfer window regulations, a press release said. The 26-year-old from Neyveli will be moving to Chennaiyin FC after three seasons at Chennai City FC, with whom he won the 2018-19 I-League title recently. He played in all CCFC's 20 league games in the I-League season, starting in 19 of them and proved to be a vital cog in the campaign. "I feel I have made the right move in my career, at the right time. I always believe that learning never stops and I look forward to learning more with my new teammates under head coach John Gregory," Vanspaul was quoted as saying in the release. "And having familiar faces around me like Sabir (Pasha) Coach, (Dhanpal) Ganesh and (Sinivasan) Pandiyan will surely help me. I am also waiting to connect with the fans of the club
'Sad and disappointed' Osaka pulls out of Rome in French Open scare
World number one Naomi Osaka said she was "between sad and disappointed" after pulling out of the Italian Open before Thursday's quarter-finals with injury just a week before the start of the French Open. "I woke up this morning and I couldn't really move my thumb," the 21-year-old told a press conference. "I can't move my hand. I can't move my thumb and I'm not sure I can play my match. "I tried to practice and grip my racket and I just felt this pain every time I tried to move my hand in different directions." The Japanese star was due to meet Madrid Open champion and sixth seed Kiki Bertens for a place in the final four in Rome. "Right now I'm not mad, but between sad and disappointed," she continued. "For me it was a test to play against Kiki because she's playing really well and I wanted to see how well I could do. "I didn't feel anything yesterday. I'm pretty confused when I woke up and couldn't move my thumb, I thought I slept on it and maybe it'll go away but it didn't. "I ...