Athletes presented PM Modi with various mementoes, including autographed jerseys and a bow gifted by 17-year-old recurve archer Kumkum Mohod, who secured two gold medals and one silver. 

Praising the squad's achievements, PM Modi addressed the gathered winners and praised them for their efforts.

"You have made 140 crore Indians proud. The biggest success is to make the tricolour fly high. That's why your success is not just yours, but it belongs to crores of our countrymen. I congratulate you on behalf of the entire country." PM Modi said.

Reiterating the nation's sporting ambitions of hosting the Olympics in 2036, PM Modi said, 

"India is emerging in establishing itself as a credible and hospitable country for international sports events. We are bidding for the 2036 Olympics, and it is our resolve that we will host the games."

PM Modi praises women athletes at the Asian Games

India secured 85 medals overall, featuring 21 golds. While short of the 106-medal haul from the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, first-time competitors delivered 41 medals. Women athletes led the way with 38 total podium finishes, including 11 gold medals across cricket, hockey, and archery. Expressing his admiration for the female contingent, Modi said,

"The women's hockey team ended a 44-year wait with its gold medal; it is highly appreciable."

The event featured the complete men's T20 squad captained by Shreyas Iyer alongside the women's team. Former women's captain Harmanpreet Kaur presented an autographed jersey to the Prime Minister alongside her successor, Smriti Mandhana.

Highlighting the long-term structural improvements across Indian sports, PM Modi emphasised the dedication required for international success.

"Sankalp aur sapne ek din mein poore nahi hote (Dreams are not achieved in a day). It takes years of hard work and dedication. In the last 12 years, India has shown patience and worked hard to create a sports ecosystem."

"There was a time when India would win a few medals at big events. The country did not know so many sports. We resolved to end this pessimism, and the result is our increasing representation on the global stage. A transparent system is in place for sports now," he concluded.

(With inputs from PTI)

Horner, 52, who led Red Bull to dominance in F1 during his two-decade tenure, was sacked in July 2025 amid declining on-track performance and internal power struggles.

Horner admitted that his departure was “very painful”, particularly as it came just days after the mother of his daughter Olivia passed away from cancer. 

“I didn’t know what it was. You suddenly feel dizzy and conscious of your breathing,” Horner said, recalling his panic attacks.

The World No. 5 Indian pairing of Satwik and Chirag went down 21-12, 15-21, 19-21 to the World No. 37 Chinese duo of He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu in their round of 32 contest which lasted exactly an hour. In the men’s singles, Shetty lost to Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan 11-21, 21-13, 10-21.

After losing the first game, Shetty bounced back to win the second but the Indonesian proved to be too strong. The match lasted one hour and four minutes.

Unnati went down to China’’s Han Qian Xi 21-23, 21-16, 16-21 in a women’s singles round of 32 contest that lasted one hour and six minutes. 

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Among the golfing stars is two-time Masters champion Rory McIlroy, who returns to DGC for the second successive season. The Northern Irishman is one of three reigning Major winners teeing it up in India.

Familiarity might just give McIlroy an edge. Speaking about the conditions, he said: “It’s looking good. Just as tight as I remember from last year. It’s definitely a different golf course from what we’re used to playing. It doesn’t offer you a lot of room off the tee. This golf course is like a throwback. It really reminds me of the courses I grew up playing: tight, tree-lined; hit a ball offline and it’s lost. So I love these golf courses like here.”  

Asked about keeping the driver in the locker room, McIlroy said, “I’m here to win the tournament, not to hit drivers. I think the best chance will be by keeping the driver in the bag or in the hotel room so I’m not even attempting to hit it.”

Meanwhile, Asian Games gold medalist Pranavi Urs met McIlroy on Wednesday. Asked about the meeting, the Northern Irishman said, “Showing the resilience and character she showed to go on after having that early triple like you said. And it was a delight to meet her. She is a wonderful young woman.”

“We are doing well in doubles and are among the top three pairs in the world, but table tennis requires us to manage both singles and doubles. I want to keep improving in singles and continue performing consistently at the highest level,” Chitale said at a felicitation function organised by her club, Khar Gymkhana, on Wednesday.

Chitale has remained busy competing after her Asian Games success. “After the Asian Games, we travelled directly to China for the China Smash, so the feeling of winning that bronze medal did not sink in immediately,” she said.

She subsequently competed at the national ranking tournament in Panchkula, where she won the women’s singles gold medal on October 13.

“Seeing the warm welcome at the airport helped me realise how much love and support I have received throughout my journey,” added Chitale, who has been practising at Khar Gymkhana for the past 13 years under coach Sachin Shetty.

Recalling the Asian Games campaign, Chitale said the Hong Kong pair of Doo Hoi Kem and Wong Chun Ting, ranked World No. 4, posed a tough challenge. “We prepared intensely, worked on our strategy and decided to play aggressively. That helped us win and secure the medal,” said Chitale, who won India’s second ever TT mixed doubles medal at the Asiad, after Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra had won a bronze at Jakarta 2018.

Defender Amandeep Lakra and midfielder Aditya Arjun Lalage also earned a chance to strengthen their place in the side. “Playing in Punjab will be special. This squad blends youth with experience, and we can’t wait to feed off the home crowd,” said coach Craig Fulton.

Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, China and Bangladesh are the other teams that will feature in the tournament, with India playing against each one of them in a single round-robin format. 

The top four finishers in the group stage will advance to the semi-finals.

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The African Grand Prix will have a 10-year contract and take place at a track in Bugesera. 

Rwandan President Paul Kagame said at a launch event in Kigali that it was “a milestone for the entire continent.”

The last F1 race in the continent was held at South Africa in 1993.

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Sindhu lost to Yvonne Li of Germany 21-13, 23-25, 19-21, while Sen went down to Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei 18-21, 21-13, 15-21.

Meanwhile, Kidambi Srikanth advanced to the second round, needing 46 minutes to prevail over Arnaud Merkle of France 22-20, 21-19.

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The full marathon is the flagship event of the Vasai Virar Mayor’s Marathon. Besides that, the half marathon, the 10k run and 5k run, all timed events, will feature in the day’s proceedings, followed by the Dhamaal Dhaav, a community event held over 3kms. The event offers a prize pool of Rs 58 lakhs. Online registrations can be done through the event website www.vvmmm.in. Queries can be addressed through the helpline numbers 8879559049/8291262892.

Poorna Prajna scored through Arnav Patil (7 pts), Naksh Jalawadiya (6), Yug Butani (3), Shravan Kudu (2), Pratyush Yadav (2), Aarav Khimore (2) and Ritvik Bhul (two).

After a goalless result at the end of regulation time, goalkeeper Royston Lobo produced four crucial saves in the shootout to help Don Bosco secure victory. Clyde Mendonca and Daksh Gaikwad were on target for the Mumbai school.

Sindhu, a former world champion, arrives in Denmark with mixed recent results. She won the Japan Open in July, but suffered a quarter-final exit at the Asian Games against China’s Chen Yu Fei. At last week’s Arctic Open, she went down fighting against Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon in the last-eight stage.

In the men’s event, Lakshya Sen too has a tough game at hand as he takes on third seed Chou Tien Chen of Taiwan.

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Bergs closed out the contest with his ninth ace on his first match point, marking his first career win over Alcaraz in their second meeting. The Belgian struck 24 winners compared to 16 from Alcaraz during their round-of-32 match.

Bergs broke Alcaraz for a second time to claim a 6-5 lead in the first set, capitalising on his fourth set point after Alcaraz found the net. In the second set, Bergs broke again for a 6-5 lead but failed to serve out the match, allowing Alcaraz to break back and push for a tiebreak. Fresh off a title victory at the Japan Open, Alcaraz rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the tiebreak to level at 4-4, but Bergs won the final points to seal the victory.

Elsewhere in Shanghai, fifth seed Daniil Medvedev defeated Dalibor Svrcina 6-2, 6-3 in his second match since his China Open disqualification. Fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime ousted Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, while Stefanos Tsitsipas fought back to eliminate 11th seed Taylor Fritz 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Zverev caps historic season with first year-end top ranking

Alcaraz's third-round exit assured that the 29-year-old Zverev will finish as year-end No. 1 for the first time, capping a remarkable season where he claimed his maiden Grand Slam trophies at the French Open and US Open.

"It's been a fantastic season for me, winning in Paris and New York and knowing that I will finish the year on top of the rankings is just a dream come true. So much work and effort have been put into achieving this goal, especially after coming back from the ankle injury," Zverev said.

With current No. 1 Jannik Sinner sidelined for the remainder of the season due to right knee inflammation, Zverev is set to overtake him before the year ends, becoming the oldest first-time year-end No. 1.

The 24-year-old produced a determined performance in the medal match to finish with a score of 240.6. He edged out Germany’s Olympic medallist Christian Reitz by 0.5 points. Reitz secured silver with a tally of 240.1. Italy’s Paolo Monna took bronze with 219.8.

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Italian rider Bezzecchi, racing for Aprilia, made his move on pole-sitter Raul Fernandez in the final third at a sweltering Mandalika International Circuit. 

Spain’s Fernandez came second and Martin third.

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In the boys U-16 final, Aarav defeated Vivaan Natekar of Rustomjee Cambridge International School and Junior College (Dahisar) 6-1, while in the girls U-16 summit clash Vritika beat Ira Pandey of Dhirubhai Ambani International School (BKC) 6-0.

Other champions

. Boys U-14: Aarush Khanna of Nita Mukesh Ambani Junior School (BKC) beat Krish Saroj of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyalaya (Malad) 6-3

. Girls U-14: Chahat Thakur of Hansraj Morarji Public School (Andheri) beat Reya Shetty of Jamnabai Narsee International School (Vile Parle) 6-1

. Boys U12: Yuvaan Bajaj of Jamnabai Narsee School (Vile Parle) beat Hrivaan Mehta of Oberoi International School (Goregaon) 6-1

. Girls U-12: Saanvi Dhatrak of Prime Academy (Mulund) beat Gyanyi Shivmath of Bombay Scottish School (Mahim) 6-2

. Boys U-10: Palaksh Shah of Lodha Oakwood School (Powai) beat Neil Saloskar of Rajhans Vidyalaya (Andheri) 6-3

. Girls U-10: Kimaya Katyal of Utpal Sanghvi Global School (Juhu) beat Parina Poddar of DSB International School (Churchgate) 6-0

Four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen cruised to a first-ever Singapore Grand Prix win with the Dutchman easing his Red Bull across the line after a dominant lights-to-flag display around the Marina Bay street track on Sunday.

The 29-year-old crossed the finish line 7.3 seconds clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc with championship leader Kimi Antonelli completing the podium for Mercedes in third place.

Verstappen delighted

“It has taken a while, but I think this race was very good. We had pace when we needed to have it, on the soft tyre and the medium. Luckily [the start] was good enough,” said Verstappen after taking his 73rd win, and second of the season.
 
Leclerc, starting alongside the Red Bull on the front row, got the better getaway and looked to have the more advantageous inside line heading into the opening corner.

But Verstappen hung on through a brilliant display of race craft and car positioning that forced Leclerc to concede.

From that point on, there was no looking back, with the Dutchman remaining unchallenged and even keeping the lead through the pitstops. The only trouble he had was a malfunctioning radio.

The result also meant Antonelli extended his championship lead to 102 points after teammate and closest title rival George Russell finished ninth. By the next race, the 20-year-old could become the youngest F1 champion and the first Italian title winner since Alberto Ascari in 1953.

Antonelli, who had started fourth and charged past McLaren’s Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages, was stunned to find out he was within reach of the title.

“Can I really?” He asked when told that he could be world champion in the next two weeks.

“Let’s not worry about that, let’s just try to do the best weekend possible and finish the job,” he added.

Race to forget for Lewis

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton though endured a nightmare race. He started third and kept the position in the opening part of the race. Despite running on the more durable medium tyre, he was the first of the front runners to stop.

That was the only stop he made, despite switching to the more fragile soft tyre, and faded from contention towards the end as first Antonelli, then Norris and eventually McLaren’s Oscar Piastri eased past him, leaving the seven-times champion to limp home in sixth.

Race dynamics

Only 5 runners faced the starter as Rampage was a late withdrawal from the six-horse field, and Iron Mirage, trainer Prasanna Kumar's challenger from Bangalore, ridden by Akshay Kumar, hit the front as usual. What was unusual though was that it wasn't the usual blazing fast pace, but rather, a moderate pace (600m in 38.6s) which jockey P Trevor astride Beast Mode read perfectly, and chose to stalk the leader, while Vivek on Jaandaar took things easy in the early part, preferring to race behind even Avener (A Sandesh up). As the pace heated up approaching the final turn Vivek, in a desperate bid to improve position, realised he was badly pocketed at the 400m marker with Beast Mode in front, Iron Mirage on the right, and Avener on the left. 

However, Jaandaar was so superior to them all that the moment Vivek forced his way between Beast Mode and Avener, it was all over bar the shouting, though Sandesh astride Avener tried to desperately bridge the gap, but did not make any impression, except reducing the margin of victory to less than a length. 

Jaandaar (Earthlight - Dance Awhile) raced in the silks of Vijay Shirke, who owns him in partnership with his wife and son, and was bred at the Sohna stud farm.

Jaandaar faces another unbeaten rival in Iron Mirage, from Bangalore-based trainer Prasanna Kumar's yard, who will be ridden by Akshay Kumar. There is also trainer MK Jadhav's Beast Mode in the fray who is bound to get a good ride from ace jockey Trevor Patel. Thanks to the quality of Jaandaar's turn of foot which he exhibited during both his victories on this track, Jaandaar gets my first nomination.

First race at 1.30 pm.
Selections:

Sir Sultan Chinoy Trophy (Class I; 1200m)
Fourth Wing 1, Credence 2, Market King 3.

Jimmy Umrigar Trophy Div II (For 3y, Maidens; 1400m)
Miami Vice 1, Styx 2, Incredible Luck 3.

Jimmy Umrigar Trophy - Div I (For 3y, Maidens; 1400m)
Taaqath 1, Sir Churchill 2, Acrobatic 3.

Pune Police Commissioner's Trophy (Class IV; 1400m)
Paloma 1, Sukoon 2, Avante 3.

JM Shah, CM Shah & KM Shah Gold Trophy (Class III; 2400m)
Caccini 1, Little John 2 2, Looking Like A Wow 3.

(Highlighted box starts from here)

The 6th race
The Villoo C Poonawalla Pune Derby (Gr 1)
Start time:4.00 pm.

1. Avener 56 A Sandesh (3);
2. Beast Mode 56 P Trevor (4)
3. Invincible Force 56 Yash Narredu (5); 
4. Iron Mirage 56 Akshay Kumar (1);
5. Jaandaar 56 Vivek G (6);
6. Rampage 56 Suraj Narredu (2).

Selections: Jaandaar 1, Iron Mirage 2, Beast Mode 3.

(Highlighted box ENDS here)

NK Pudumjee Salver (Class II; 1400m)
Thundering Phoenix 1, Zafferano 2, Earth 3.

Vinayak Salver (For 4y&o, Class V; 1200m)
Bravo Zulu 1, Ashwa Ankara 2, Red Merlot 3.

Recommendations
Best bet: Fourth Wing (1-6)
Upsets: Tempest (2-8), Field Of Gold (3-1) & Giacomo (7-6)

Today's pools
Super jackpot: 3,4,5,6,7,8
Jackpot: 4,5,6,7,8
Treble: I - 2,3,4; II - 5,6,7
Tanala: All races.

The reigning seven-time world champion took the chequered flag in a dramatic 13-lap sprint to go four points clear of Martin in the standings.

Trackhouse Racing’s Ai Ogura and VR46’s Fabio Di Giannantonio finished second and third respectively.

“This was a very important win,” said Marquez, who took the lead in the championship for the first time this year with 343 points.

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Four-time world champion Max Verstappen cruised to victory in a rain-delayed, dramatic Singapore Grand Prix sprint race on Saturday, even as Mercedes's championship leader Kimi Antonelli extended his lead over teammate and title rival George Russell after the Briton crashed out.

The Red Bull racer, fresh from his maiden win of the season in the Bahrain Grand Prix at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit last week, crossed the line 2.5 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who rocketed off the line from sixth.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen during the qualifying session for the Singapore GP at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on Saturday. Pics/AFP

The seven-time world champion's Monegasque teammate Charles Leclerc fended off Antonelli to take third.

Verstappen had started from pole position, but Russell, who started alongside him on the front row, got the better of the Dutchman and led into the first corner.

However, Russell’s time leading the pack was short-lived as he lost control on the wet track and slammed into the wall at the start-finish straight.

The crash brought out the safety car and handed the lead to Verstappen. It also allowed Antonelli, who finished fourth, to extend his lead over Russell at the top of the standings to 89 points.

It was the 14th sprint win for Verstappen and his second of the season. It was also his first triumph in any format at Singapore’s Marina Bay street layout.

“We got a bit lucky with what happened to George. Happy to win here at the sprint, but I want to win tomorrow. I don’t see this as actually winning a Grand Prix,” said the Dutchman

Hamilton tried to pile the pressure on Verstappen early on but backed off to preserve his tyres. 

Still the Briton, revelling in the damp conditions, picked up the pace again and set the fastest lap towards the end.

“I had a mega start which was awesome. I love driving this track in the rain, so as soon as the heavens opened I knew this would be a great day,” said Hamilton.

The race saw plenty of drama with only 13 of the 22 cars making it to the finish. 

The McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collided on the final lap after the defending champion ran wide into the side of his teammate’s car, tipping both into a spin.

Norris continued on to take the final point in eighth, but Piastri was out on the spot.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the decision after a Cabinet meeting, saying the academy would help nurture young boxing talent in the state.

It’s a double high for Borgohain, who has also been promoted from Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) to Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) by the Assam Home Department following her latest gold-medal feat.

 

 

 

 

 

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The global fashion doll franchise has recreated Williams, 45, as part of its Role Model series, with the doll sporting the lime green and white outfit she wore during her title-winning run in Melbourne. The doll was released on October 8.

In a video posted by Barbie on Instagram, Williams, a mother to daughters Alexis and Adira, said she was “especially excited” about the release because her girls love playing with Barbies.

The 29-year-old lit up the timing screens with a one minute, 31.156 second lap in his Red Bull to go 0.120 seconds quicker than Mercedes rival George Russell. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was 0.243 seconds adrift in third.

“I did not expect this, very happy to be first,” said Verstappen, fresh from having taken his first win of the season at last week’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, after the session.

“The last few races we have been a lot stronger. This track still highlights a few weaknesses in the car, but we have tried to drive with them as much as possible,” he added.

The sprint pole was Verstappen’s 11th in the format since it was first rolled out in 2021. 

It was also his first in any format around the 4.9-kilometer Marina Bay street layout. The track is only one of only two on the calendar the 29-year-old is yet to win at. The other, Spain’s Madring, made its debut just last month.

Verstappen had to wait to have it confirmed, however, with the Dutchman  investigated for passing Ferrari rival Lewis Hamilton under yellow flag conditions. He was eventually cleared.

Personally, one feels that kilo-for-kilo, Winfield is the better horse of the three thanks to her rather close finish behind Elysium and Kavya in a grade 3 race eight days ago; but ironically, when one factors in the handicap assigned to the three runners, one is forced to doubt that assessment because with the top weight of 59 kg, she has to give 5 kg and more to her two rivals over the trip of 3200m. The race is best left alone from the betting point of view.

First race at 2 pm.
Selections:

Severus Plate (For 4y&o, Class V; 1600m)
Touch Of Mystic 1, Magical Moments 2, Neutron 3.

Truefitt & Hill Trophy (For 5y&o, Class IV; 1000m)
Moonlight Kiss 1, Silver Strike 2, Believe 3.

Conrad Pune Trophy (Class III; 1600m)
Coffee At Eleven 1, Dedication 2, Matisse 3.

Raees Plate (For 3y, Maidens; 1000m)
Absolute Emperor 1, Lucky Diamond 2, Sabalenka 3.

Rodeo Plate (Class IV; 1100m)
Yinsiruk 1, Dreams Come True 2, Santana Row 3.

Lemon Tree Hotels Trophy (Class II; 1000m)
Foxy 1, Gunfire 2, Darcy 3.

Suresh Mahindra Trophy (Class I; 3200m)
Endurance 1, Golden Dancer 2.

Recommendations
Best bet: None
Upsets: Royal Champ (1-4), Nebula (3-5) & Azure (6-2)

Today's pools
Super jackpot: 1,2,3,4,5,6
Jackpot: 2,3,4,5,6
Treble: 4,5,6
Tanala: 1,2,3,4,5,6

A three-member shooters’ contingent alleged that the Paralympic Committee of India had relaxed selection norms to accommodate four shooters who failed to meet the criteria for the Games.

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Big-serving Hurkacz, the 2023 champion in Shanghai, won 6-4, 6-3 as the 39-year-old former World No. 1 faltered against an opponent a decade his junior.

Hubert Hurkacz. Pic/AFP

“I didn’t feel myself on the court,” the Serbian veteran said afterwards.

“It’s a super-quick surface, completely different from Beijing. If you lose your serve, it’s enough to lose a match,” he added.

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American Dave Cousins, appointed as India’s chief compound coach in May, is learnt to have “threatened to quit and leave the country” if his pending dues are not cleared.

However, Archery Association of India treasurer Dr Joris Paulose Ummacheril and a Sports Authority of India official said the payment was delayed due to a “technical issue”, which has since been “resolved”, and the dues would be “cleared within a couple of days”.

Cousins helped India win three gold and one bronze medal at the Asian Games.

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For years, South Korea’s dominance in recurve archery has seemed almost unassailable, but Kumkum Mohod believes the aura of invincibility has been shattered and her historic gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games could embolden India to challenge the Korean stronghold more often.

The 17-year-old from Amravati, Maharashtra, scripted history by becoming the first Indian to win an individual recurve gold at the Asian Games. She also struck gold in the women’s team event and added a mixed team silver with Dhiraj Bommadevara, while her individual triumph secured a crucial Olympic quota place for India at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.

Mohod’s defining moment came in the individual final against South Korea’s Oh Yejin, a double gold medallist in the U-21 category at the 2023 World Archery Youth Championships. With the contest hanging in the balance, the Indian teenager held her nerve to deliver the decisive blow.

“One day, Korea’s invincibility had to be broken. Everyone thought they were unbeatable, but this medal was very important because India had never won an individual recurve medal before. I feel our performances will improve further in future tournaments because everyone will be confident,” Mohod said in an interaction facilitated by SAI. The final went into a shoot-off after the match ended 5-5, and Mohod seized the opportunity to seal the gold with a perfect 10, while Oh managed only an eight.

“My heartbeat was racing at that moment, but I calmed myself, relaxed and told myself that I only had to release the arrow properly and not think about anything else. I knew that was the only arrow that could get me gold, and that patience paid off,” she said.

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