India’s first-ever Olympic fencer Bhavani Devi, who competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, wrote a heartfelt Instagram note to her mother Ramani on the occasion of her birthday recently. “My mother and my hero. Happy Birthday to the woman who carries the strength of a thousand. Thank you for being my backbone and my heart. Today and every day we celebrate you,” read Bhavani’s post, which was accompanied by a slew of pictures featuring them together. View this post on Instagram A post shared by C A Bhavani Devi (@bhavanideviofficial) The 32-year-old fencer has also won two gold medals at the Commonwealth Championships (2018, and 2022), and a bronze medal in the 2023 Asian Championships. She also won the Arjuna Award in 2021.
17 February,2026 09:48 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentIt seems the adage ‘love reigns over all’ holds true even for rivals, in this case, two fierce ice-skating rivals. Spain’s figure skater Olivia Smart may not have had a Winter Olympics to remember after finishing ninth at Milano Cortina, but she’ll still be going home with silverware in the form of a ring, after former Team USA ice dancer Jean-Luc Baker proposed to her on Valentine’s Day. Olivia, 28, had competed against Jean-Luc, 32, in the ice dancing event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics after which the pair began dating. Jean-Luc broke the news of their engagement via Instagram, with an Instagram post that read: “It’s always been you,” accompanied by a video featuring him proposing to Olivia on the streets of Milan. According to USA’s PEOPLE magazine, the two had been friends for over a decade, before they began dating.
17 February,2026 09:43 AM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent‘It’s anti-racing. To drive, they are not a lot of fun. As a pure driver, I want to go flat out — at the moment, you can’t’Four-time world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull ‘We’re doing 600m of lift-and-coast on a qualifying lap. That’s not what racing is about’Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari ‘The car is so slow in the corners that even the team chef could drive it’Two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin ‘It’s a fun challenge. If Max doesn’t like it, he can retire.’Reigning world champion Lando Norris of McLaren ‘The cars feel more nimble, agile and way nicer to drive. We need to give the new rules a chance’George Russell of Mercedes
17 February,2026 08:43 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentIndia’s badminton star PV Sindhu penned a heartfelt note to husband Venkata Datta Sai on Valentine’s Day via Instagram, thanking him for his unwavering love and support. “Thank you for being the man who chooses me every single day, who stands beside me through every high and every low, never wavering. I love you more than words can capture, not just for what you do, but for the man you are. Your heart, your strength, and your loyalty mean everything to me. Happy Valentine’s Day my love,” read Sindhu’s caption which was accompanied by a picture of the couple sharing a loving embrace while out on a dinner date. View this post on Instagram A post shared by PV Sindhu (@pvsindhu1) She even added a joke about his dressing sense and his love for cricket, noting: “Next time, maybe choose between crocs and cricket, because dinner clearly lost both battles.” The post was liked by over one lakh people, including double Olympic bronze medal-winning shooter Manu Bhaker. Sindhu and Venkata got married in December 2024, in Udaipur.
16 February,2026 08:41 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentIndia produced another listless display, with familiar flaws resurfacing, as they slumped to a 2-4 defeat against Argentina in the final match of the Rourkela leg of the FIH Pro League here on Sunday. Tadeo Marcucci (28', 49') led the Argentinian attack with a brace, while Tomas Domene (18') and Lucio Mendez (43') made vital contributions as well. For India, Aditya Lalage (50') and Sanjay (59') were the goal scorers at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium. Coming on the heels of the 0-8 drubbing they had suffered against Argentina a couple of days earlier, India were once again put under pressure as the visitors dominated possession and created most of the openings in the first quarter. However, the hosts managed to weather the storm and kept Argentina at bay without conceding. The South Americans registered their first attempt in the third minute when Lucas Martinez struck on the turn from inside the circle, beating Indian goalkeeper Suraj Karkera, only to be denied by the post. Karkera was called into action repeatedly, including at the 10-minute mark when he did well to keep out a powerful effort from Domene. The pressure continued to mount as Argentina earned four penalty corners in the opening quarter. India conceded early in the second quarter, and it was yet another penalty corner that hurt the hosts. In the 18th minute, Domene made the most of the set-piece to slot it past the goalkeeper and give his side the lead. Argentina doubled their advantage soon after with India struggling to hold and win possession in the midfield. Lucas Tosceni delivered a precise aerial ball to find Marcucci in the box, who buried it with a thunderous strike. Just seconds before half-time, India earned their best chance of the encounter. A series of sharp passes in the circle put Aditya Lalage in a dangerous position, but the forward's hurried shot sailed over the post. India returned with intent and won two consecutive penalty corners early in the third quarter. However, captain Harmanpreet Singh was unable to convert, as Argentina's defence stood firm. The visitors soon extended their lead. Toscani produced a brilliant run, beating two defenders before squaring the ball to Lucio Mendez, who made no mistake with a clinical finish to put Argentina 3-0 ahead. In the early exchanges of the final quarter India came close to cut the deficit as Rajinder made a powerful pass from the right flank but Karthi Selvam could not get his stick there for the tap-in. In response, Argentina made it 4-0 on their ninth penalty corner of the night, Marcucci found the ball after a scramble and finished it from close range. It was Hardik Singh who set up the first goal for India, using a 50th minute free hit to expertly position himself and thread it goalwards. Lalage pounced on the opportunity to etch his name on the scoresheet with a swift deflection. Minutes before the final hooter, India were awarded a penalty stroke, and Sanjay stepped up to finish with composure, narrowing the margin to 4-2. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 February,2026 08:37 AM IST | Rourkela | PTIGujarat Titans concluded the third edition of Junior Titans, with participation from over 5100 children representing more than 100 government and private schools across Gujarat. The sustained participation and strong response from schools underline the growing impact of the franchise’s cornerstone grassroots initiative, aimed at promoting outdoor sports and physical activity among children under the age of 14. Junior Titans was launched in 2024 in key urban centres of Gujarat, such as Vadodara and Rajkot, and has since expanded deeper into the state. In its third edition, the initiative reached Surendranagar, Morbi, Amreli and Anand, along with Ahmedabad, underscoring Gujarat Titans’ commitment to taking structured sporting experiences to every corner of Gujarat. Conceptualised as a multi-city grassroots programme, Junior Titans enables families and local communities to connect with the Gujarat Titans brand and its values. Each city hosted a one-day event featuring inclusive, non-competitive sessions and a variety of engaging games and activities. By combining physical activity with interactive formats, the programme continued to drive participation while building confidence & teamwork through sports among young participants in a fun and supportive environment. In the final leg in Ahmedabad, 269 children supported by the UNM Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Torrent Group that works across education, healthcare and community development initiatives, also participated. Their involvement further strengthened the inclusive outreach of Junior Titans, extending the programme’s impact to children from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Speaking on the successful completion of the third edition, Colonel Arvinder Singh, Chief Operating Officer, Gujarat Titans, said, “The successful completion of the third edition of Junior Titans marks an important milestone in our continued effort to build a sporting culture. The scale of participation across five cities reflects the growing relevance of the initiative and the trust that schools, families and communities place in us. Junior Titans is more than an outreach initiative; it is a long-term investment in encouraging structured participation and fostering a culture where sport and outdoor play becomes a natural part of a child’s development. As a sporting franchise, we remain committed to expanding the reach and impact of this initiative and strengthening the sporting ecosystem across Gujarat.” Since its inception, Junior Titans has engaged more than 15,000 children across 13 cities in Gujarat through three editions, evolving into a significant grassroots initiative for the franchise. Now in its second consecutive year of association with the programme, Pokémon, one of the world’s most loved global brands, continued its collaboration with Junior Titans, with playful integrations designed to engage and delight participating children. This sustained partnership underscores the scale, resonance and efficacy of Junior Titans, and its impact on the community. Rooted in the philosophy of ‘Let’s Sport Out!’, Junior Titans continues to serve as a key community engagement platform for Gujarat Titans, strengthening the franchise’s connection with communities in and beyond Ahmedabad. The successful conclusion of the third edition reinforces Gujarat Titans’ commitment to building a strong sporting culture across Gujarat through grassroots initiatives like Junior Titans. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
15 February,2026 09:50 PM IST | Ahmedabad | mid-day online correspondentThe feature event on Sunday at Mahalaxmi, the Homi Mody Trophy, has only three runners in the fray. The main fight seems to be between Evaldo and Regina Memorabilis who ran together in the Eclipse Stakes of India (Gr 2) two weeks ago on this track. During that run Evaldo, having a free run on the wide outside, managed to finish ahead of Regina Memorabilis who faced some traffic problems when the race took a serious turn. With nothing likely to hinder both runners on Sunday, it will be an interesting contest to watch. Evaldo may prevail at the wire. First race at 4 pm.Selections: Homi Mody Trophy (Class I; 2400m)Evaldo 1, Regina Memorabilis 2. Madras Race Club Trophy (For 3y, Maidens; 1600m)Angelisa 1, Lorenzo 2, Caspian 3. Amateur Riders' Club Trophy (Class III; 1600m)Miracle Of Hanukah 1, Don Julio 2, Land Of Plenty 3. Roman Rose Plate (For 3y; 1200m)Gunfire 1, Zayyan 2, Phantom Strike 3. VP Koregaonkar Plate (Class V; 1600m)Tajiri 1, Golden Heart 2, Renaissance 3. Municipal Commissioner's Trophy (Class IV; 1400m)Undercover 1, Juracan 2, Lord And Master 3. TM Goculdas Plate (Class II; 1000m)Esperanza 1, Your Unforgettable 2, Ahmed I Rahimtoola Trophy (For 4y, Class IV; 1200m)Money Fair 1, Surrealist 2, Lucio 3. Stunning Plate (Class V; 1000m)Aeon Flux 1, Viennoise 2, Arbitrage 3. RecommendationsBest bet: Angelisa (2-5)Upsets: Beyond Stars (5-3), Foujita (6-3) & Samson (9-7) Today's poolsSuper jackpot pool: 4,5,6,7,8,9Jackpot pool: I - 2,3,4,5,6; II - 5,6,7,8,9Treble pool: I - 3,4,5; II - 6,7,8; III - 7,8,9Tanala pool: All races.
15 February,2026 10:12 AM IST | Mumbai | Prakash GosaviMahindra Racing, the only Indian outfit competing in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, climbed to second in the overall Team Championship standings after a podium finish at the Jeddah E-Prix, where Edoardo Mortara secured second place in Round 4. The result builds on last season's fourth-place championship finish. "As a founding Formula E team, Mahindra Racing continues to establish itself as a serious contender on the global electric racing stage," said Mahindra Racing in a statement. "Following the result, Mahindra Racing now stands P2 overall in the Team Championship standings, highlighting the team's growing consistency and front-running pace this season. Mortara's performance also elevates him to P3 in the Drivers' Championship," it added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 February,2026 10:11 AM IST | Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) | PTIAll is not well in the Dutch tennis camp following their shock 2-3 loss to India in the recent Davis Cup first-round qualifying tie. Jesper De Jong had led the Netherlands team in the match due to the absence of Tallon Griekspoor, who refused to travel with team and has been a vocal critic of the Royal Dutch Lawn Tennis Association. On the sidelines of the ongoing Rotterdam 500 event, De Jong fired a shot at Griekspoor — the top-ranked Dutch player (World No. 27) — saying that he had ‘embarrassed’ the country by refusing to play the tie. Griekspoor then hit back at his compatriot with a venomous reply. “He [De Jong] says I’m disrespecting the country, which is a bit rich coming from someone who lost to the World No. 500 [465],” said the 29-year-old, according to Dutch website Nos, while making a reference to De Jong’s defeat at the hands of Dhakshineswar Suresh in the decisive singles tie. “I’m not going to waste time and energy on people who are of no use to me,” he added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 February,2026 10:10 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesIndia's Pramod Bhagat captured the men's SL3 gold medal with a commanding straight-game win over Muhammad Al Imran of Indonesia at the BWF Para World Championships here on Saturday. The 37-year-old Bhagat outclassed his opponent 21-12, 21-18 in the final to claim his fourth consecutive singles gold at the world championships and his sixth overall world title in the category. The victory underlines Bhagat's sustained dominance in the SL3 division, which refers to a classification for standing players with significant lower limb impairment. Bhagat, who developed polio when he was five, had secured world championship singles gold medals in 2009, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2024. Following Saturday's win, he surpassed China's legendary Lin Dan, who won five men's singles world titles in able-bodied badminton, making Bhagat the most decorated singles champion across world championship history in the sport. The triumph also marked a significant redemption for Bhagat, who served an 18-month suspension for violating the Badminton World Federation (BWF) anti-doping whereabouts clause, which forced him to miss the 2024 Paris Paralympics. Bhagat later combined with Sukant Kadam to claim the men's doubles SL3-SL4 title, defeating fellow Indians J. Dilli and N. Sivakumar 21-19, 21-16 in the final. The top-seeded Indian pair controlled key phases of the summit clash to complete a golden double for Bhagat. In other results, N. Sivakumar finished runner-up in the men's singles SL4 category after losing to top seed Lucas Mazur of France 12-21, 21-19, 14-21 in the final. India's M. Ramadass, the top seed in women's singles SU5, settled for silver following an 11-21, 11-21 defeat to China's Yang Qiu Xia in the title clash. Top seed N. Sumathy Sivan also finished runner-up in the women's singles SH6 category after going down 14-21, 21-12, 17-21 to China's Li Feng in a hard-fought three-game final. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 February,2026 10:07 AM IST | Manama (Bahrain) | PTIIndia's torrid display in the Rourkela leg of the FIH Pro League continued unabated as they lost 2-4 against Belgium to suffer their third consecutive defeat at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium here on Saturday. This was the second meeting between the two teams in this leg, with Belgium having won the earlier fixture 3-1. India were then crushed 0-8 by Argentina in their next match here. Alexander Hendrickx (14th, 17th minutes) led the charge for the visitors with a brace, supported by goals from Hugo Labouchere (11th) and Arthur de Sloover (15th). India showed improved defensive character in the second half by keeping a clean sheet, but strikes from Aditya Lalage (24th) and captain Harmanpreet Singh (37th) were not enough to overturn the early deficit. Belgium kicked off the proceedings and immediately established control. While India vice-captain Hardik Singh excited the crowd with an early forward run, the hosts struggled to test the Belgian defence. India thought they had taken the lead in the seventh minute, but the goal was disallowed. Belgium quickly capitalised on the momentum, earning their first penalty corner in the 11th minute, which Labouchere successfully converted. The pressure continued, and in the 14th minute, Hendrickx doubled the lead with a powerful drag-flick from another penalty corner. Despite Indian goalkeeper Suraj Karkera making a crucial foot save moments later, Belgium struck again in the final minute of the quarter. Opting for a variation on their third penalty corner, a sequence of short passes set up de Sloover to make it 3-0. Belgium picked up right from where they left off in the second quarter. Earning their fourth penalty corner in the 17th minute, Hendrickx made no mistake with his drag-flick to extend the lead to 4-0. Desperate for a response, India pushed forward. The breakthrough came in the 24th minute when Abhishek dribbled past the Belgian defence and fired a shot. Although goalkeeper Loic Van Doren made the initial save, Lalage expertly poached the rebound to pull one back. Belgium earned their fifth penalty corner in the dying moments of the half, but the strike went off target. The third quarter saw a more balanced contest. In the 36th minute, the Indian defence successfully cleared Belgium's sixth penalty corner. Moments later, a brilliant run by Sukhjeet Singh earned India a penalty corner of their own. Captain Harmanpreet stepped up and masterfully converted the chance in the 37th minute, scoring his first goal of the 2025-26 season to reduce the deficit to 4-2. The teams went toe-to-toe for the remainder of the quarter. Karkera made a solid save against another Belgian penalty corner, and Van Doren denied Harmanpreet's strike from India's second penalty corner in the 44th minute. India started the final quarter with urgency, nearly making it 4-3, but Van Doren produced a superb save to deny the hosts. Two minutes later, Indian goalkeeper Pawan stood tall to thwart a dangerous Belgian attack. As the clock ticked down, Belgium shifted to an ultra-aggressive approach to close out the game. Pawan made a massive double save in the 56th minute to keep India's hopes alive, but despite their best efforts to find space in the final two minutes, the resolute Belgian defence held firm to secure the victory. India will play their final match of the Rourkela leg on Sunday against Argentina. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 February,2026 10:05 AM IST | Rourkela | PTIADVERTISEMENT
